The Fox's Mischief
by Niana Kuonji
Summary: What happens when you add a fortune telling martial artist, her element-controlling martial-artist friends, and the Yu Yu Hakusho team to the Nerima Wrecking Crew? A whole new fun brand of chaos! Complete
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Ranma 1/2, any of its characters, or anything of Yu Yu Hakusho except for manga and a few videos/dvds. If you think I'm making money off of this, allow me to introduce you to my empty wallet. [grin] However, new characters are all mine!

Chapter 1: Introductions.

========

It's the usual, bright sunny day in Nerima district, with the birds singing gaily (with a somewhat desperate note to their songs) outside of a pleasant two-story home with an attached dojo, and the newest student to Furinkan High is still asleep in bed. The neat room has a few wallscrolls of various animes hung above the bed or on the other walls, with several outfits and uniforms visible in the open closet. A glass of water is on the night-table beside the bed, a cute fox-lamp and a fox alarm clock sitting there as well.

The digital time says 8:15 am, and we know the owner has fifteen minutes to be up, dressed, and at school or be late.

"Rei!" A cheerful woman's voice calls from beyond the room as the room's occupant sits up, stretches, and takes a swig of water. "Hon, are you up?"

"Yeah, Mom!" the girl calls back as she sets the glass down and notices the clock. "Oh, crap! I overslept!" Like a bullet, the girl is up, in her closet, and changing. A nightshirt goes flying as well as a pair of loose pajama pants. Out rushes the girl, dressed in a familiar uniform, into her bathroom. A few seconds later she's out and racing down the stairs into the kitchen, where her mother is holding up a bookbag and lunchbox, a piece of buttered toast on top of the box.

"Have fun at school, dear!" Mrs. Kenobishi chuckles as Rei grabs everything in her sprint, pauses to kiss her mother on the cheek, and then rockets out the back door and onto the sidewalk. Tiny flickers of flame mark her path and give a testament to her speed. A quick flashback to the clock shows the time as 8:18.

====

"Hey, I hear we're gettin' a new student today," one of Ranma and Akane's classmates tells one of his friends. "Hope it's a really hot babe!"

"Are you kiddin'?" the friend retorts. "With the luck we've had lately, they're gonna be some psycho martial artist that's gonna wreck the school. Not that that'd be a bad thing," he adds cheerfully as Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo glare at him. "No more homework."

"So what d'you think, Ranchan?" Ukyo asks from her desk. The pig-tailed martial artist shrugs.

"How'm I supposed to know? 'S not like I'm Principal Kuno's buddy or anything."

"A simple 'I don't know' would have sufficed," Akane snaps. Before another of the famous Akane vs. Ranma bouts (which usually ends with Ranma getting punted through the roof) the sound of a collision is heard out in the hallway. There is the beginning sounds of a shared apology--Ranma perks his ears up: one of the two voices sounds like Miss Hinako in kid-form, and the other would probably be the new student--a stunned, nay, dismayed silence, then--

"What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here?!" is the chorus from two throats. All the students are stunned as a column of fire bursts the door off of its runners and breaks the window. As soon as it clears--cuts off, Ranma bets--a slender girl with long red hair and an oddly-familiar checkered bandanna tied as a headband runs into the room and screeches to a halt in front of the singed teacher's desk to snap towards the door, "My family moved our dojo here so I wouldn't have to _deal_ with you draining me anymore! I'm not gonna let you suck me dry again!" And then the new student races to the broken window and neatly does a jump and flip and is out the window--which happens to be set on the third floor. Half the classroom rushes over in disbelief to watch the girl land easily and take off running.

Ranma glances back towards the door as Miss Hinako-chan walks in, dusting off her sweater and looking very put out. Thanks to nearly three months of effort, Ranma has finally managed to undo Happosai's work and has shut down the ki-draining ability of Miss Hinako that had given him so much friggin' trouble.

"Old student?" he asks, jerking a thumb at the window. Miss Hinako nods.

"Unfortunately, yes. She's one of the only delinquents that I wasn't able to completely subdue. Her name is Rei Kenobishi. Since you've taken away my ability, I am hereby charging you to get her back here so I can give her detention."

"Are you kidding me?!" Akane gasps. "Ranma'll probably run off, too!"

"Thanks a lot, Akane," Ranma mutters. Miss Hinako sighs.

"Whether he does or not is up to him. Without my Happo-five-yen-shiatsu, I can't really drain him, now can I? Besides, Miss Kenobishi is a skilled fighter and if Ranma defeated me, he can probably defeat her."

"Hey, a challenge!" Ranma lights up. He hasn't had a real challenge for a while, just the boring stuff like trying to fend off all of the girls chasing him and all of the jealous guys like Mousse and Ryoga. Heh, even they hadn't been hard to beat lately. A new sparring partner would be just what he needed.

Before Akane can say another disparaging word--and before the rest of the class can get over the shock of Miss Hinako actually trusting Ranma--the black-haired boy jumps out the window and trots off, following the occasional burn mark in the grass.

It doesn't take him very long. About half-way across the school the burn marks end at the base of a decently-sized tree. As he reaches the tree's base, however, a loud sneeze is heard and the top of the tree suddenly explodes with fire. A very miffed girl is seated near the top, tears of anger shining at the corners of her eyes.

"And Dad wonders why I always head the other direction when he uses pepper," Rei says to herself in a voice on the verge of true tears.

"Don't blame ya," Ranma says, and barely manages to dodge a fireball that toasts the ground he'd been standing on. Startled green eyes look down at him, and Ranma hastily averts his eyes when he realizes that because of the way Rei is sitting, he can see right up her skirt. The red-head notices and quickly jumps down to avoid the problem altogether, confronting Ranma at the same time.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Miss Hinako sent me to bring ya back to class," Ranma admits reluctantly. He really wants to learn this fire-projection technique this Rei chick has. He barely felt that last attack coming!

"Are you serious?" Rei asks, putting her hands behind her head and leaning against the trunk. "What, she ain't gonna suck my battle-aura?"

"Naw," Ranma reassures her, "I finally hit the pressure points enough to block that." Rei face-faults.

"You mean there were _pressure points_ to stop it?!"

"Err, yeah."

"Great, fantastic." With a sigh, Rei pushes herself away from the tree and starts walking back towards the building. "Well, the worst thing she can do to me now is expel me, I guess. Hey, what's your name, anyway?"

The young man blinks and moves to catch up with her. "Ranma. Ranma Saotome. You're Rei Kenobishi, right?"

"That's me. Heir to the Anything Goes School of Fire-Fox."

"Aw, I knew it! Wanna spar sometime?"

"Are you serious?" Rei asks in disbelief. "Spar?"

"Yeah, I'm a martial artist too. I'm stuck with the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, and no one's given me a run for my money lately. Wanna try?" Looking at his sincere face, Rei can't help but smile.

"Okay, why not? My place isn't hard to find. Just follow the signs. My dad's trying to drum up extra business."

"With this many dojos already in town? Good luck."

"At least we'll have one set coming to check it out."

"Whassat?"

"The pyros."

====

Later on that afternoon as Ranma and surprisingly, Ryoga, are walking down the street towards the Neko-Hanten, unsurprisingly arguing at the tops of their lungs. Ryoga still has a bandage wrapped around his head from the last fight he had with Ranma. Actually, the two start running when they notice the heavy rain clouds behind them.

"Stupid pig! I told ya, I'm only gonna see how well she can _spar_," Ranma snarls as they run. He is answered by a punch from Ryoga, which he easily dodges and returns full-force.

"How dare you cheat on Akane?!" Ryoga is, as usual, not listening. Neither notice the blur going from tree-top to tree-top behind them, rapidly catching up. It blazes down and slams into Ryoga, planting his face firmly in concrete and leaving a foot-print as well as flames as the blur races off in the direction of the Neko-Hanten.

"Sorry!" the blur yells in a familiar voice as it disappears. A few moments later as Ranma stands there stunned, the threatening rain comes down and drenches the street, changing Ranma and Ryoga into their cursed forms and putting out the tiny flickers of fire.

"Huh." Ranma-chan picks up the unconscious Ryoga by the bandanna around the black piglet's neck and starts walking. "That kinda looked like Rei."

====

"Gotta beat the rain, gotta beat the rain," Rei pants as she runs, feet ahead of the downpour. She knows she whammed someone, but she couldn't show up to her new job late, could she? She finally reaches the Cat Café and ducks inside just as the rain catches up with her and adds a layer of shine to the street outside.

Cologne pogos up, looking a bit surprised at the sudden entrance, but pleased that the girl believed in not being late. "You must be Rei Kenobishi, correct?"

Rei blinks in surprise and then bows. "Ah, _hai_, ma'am. I am Rei and I'm pl--" A customer enters and the rain follows, soaking Rei and lashing Cologne in the face. When the old woman lowers her sleeve, she is surprised to find her new waitress gone. A very unhappy bark from down near the ground causes her to look and see a dripping wet young fox sitting on the floor, surrounded by Rei's clothes and with the same black-and-yellow checkered bandanna around her neck.

"Well," is Cologne's only comment. The fox lets out a little mushroom-cloud sigh and holds up a sign, its string between her teeth.

"--pleased to meet you."

About ten minutes later, in walks Ranma-chan and Ryoga, the latter still unconscious and still a pig. Up bounds Shampoo, Cologne's great-granddaughter, and glomps onto Ranma. Rei, now back in her normal form and dressed in a clean, dry outfit of Shampoo's, is busy serving tables with incredible efficiency. While Shampoo drags Ranma (and Ryoga) into a back room to get changed and dry, Rei keeps glancing back at Ranma for some strange reason.

When he comes back out, once again male and carrying a still-unconscious but human and dressed Ryoga, Rei's eyes widen a bit and she nearly spills a bowl of ramen in a customer's lap. Apologizing profusely, she cleans it up and gets the girl another bowl.

Shampoo immediately gets the wrong idea and gets more possessive than usual, only to notice that the new waitress seems to be staring at _Ryoga_, who is finally starting to wake up. The eternally-lost martial artist blinks as a bowl is set in front of him, a very apologetic Rei smiling at him.

"Ano, gomenasai. This is a freebie, as an apology for me landing on your head." The footprint's still there. Ryoga, of course, turns bright red and mutters something along the lines of a forgiveness, poking holes in the table-top nervously.

"You work here, Rei?" Ranma asks in startlement. Rei nods cheerfully.

"Part-time starting today. So what can I get for ya?"

Ranma's stomach growls. "Anything, so long as it ain't got nothin' to make me do somethin' I don't wanna do." Rei laughs and Shampoo turns pink.

"Sure, no problem. I'll just get you a special like I got your friend here." And she walks off towards the kitchen. Shampoo turns on Ranma the second Rei's out of earshot.

"Ranma! Who girl to you?!" Ranma blinks.

"You hired her. Shouldn't you know who she is?" His head is slammed into the table by Ryoga, holding the ramen-bowl in his other hand out of harm's way as the table snaps in half.

"Moron! Why are you talking to yet _another_ girl?! Isn't five enough for you?!"

"Pig-boy owe Shampoo for new table," the purple-haired Amazon girl puts in irritably as Ranma sits back up and rubs his forehead.

"Last time I checked, it's just four, and she's the heir to the new dojo in town. I'm just gonna see how well she fights."

"What?!" Shampoo snarls jealously. Ranma merely shuts up at this point and waits for his food. Shampoo gets even more possessive (is such a thing possible?) until she notices that Rei is more interested in Ryoga than in Shampoo's 'groom'. Then she mellows out again and becomes all purrs. ('Scuse the pun, couldn't resist)

For once, Ranma gets to eat a relatively quiet meal of ramen, since Shampoo isn't being defensive, Rei has Mousse thoroughly cowed and doing dishes and busing tables, and every time someone comes in looking for a fight Ryoga or Rei boots them out again. Surprise, surprise. Miracles do happen.

========

Whee! My very first posted fanfic! And to think this all started on a forum board…The next chapters I have up (until Nine, methinks) are pretty much the entirety of the fic that I've already gotten written, hence the massive upload. As per usual, read and review! Thanks much!


	2. Chapter two

Disclaimer: Hell, no, I don't own Ranma 1/2 or Yu Yu Hakusho, except for merchandise. So, blah!

Chapter Two: Realizations

********

The street outside the Kenobishi dojo, early Sunday afternoon. Ranma and a somewhat put-out Akane are walking down the sidewalk, looking around in curiosity: they haven't been to this particular part of town in a while.

"For the last time, Akane, I just wanna fight her," Ranma explains wearily as they walk, the pig-tailed boy still wearing his usual Chinese clothing, Akane in a cute pair of shorts and tanktop with matching sneakers.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," Akane snaps.

"Then why are you so mad?" Ranma asks, walking backwards in front of her so he could watch her face.

"With how many girls are chasing you now, you wonder why I worry?" Akane snaps her mouth shut and blushes as Ranma is so stunned he misses his footing and falls backwards. _Shoot! I didn't mean to say that out loud!_ Akane scolds herself mentally.

"Say that again?" Ranma asks as he rights himself. Akane just settles her face into her usual scowl and stomps past, not saying a word. Ranma blinks and follows after, still pestering Akane to repeat herself. This goes on for several blocks until they notice several junior-high students leaving from the same place. All are carrying gym bags and wearing towels around their necks.

"Bye, sensei!" they call as they walk off. "See you tomorrow!" Apparently, they get a response, since they all wave again and resume walking. Ranma and Akane look at where they left and see the roof of the dojo over the wall, as well as a part of the second story to a cozy-looking home. As they walk towards the gate they hear swishing and odd thunks coming from the other side, so they lift themselves up partway to see over.

What they see surprises them: Rei, dressed in a dark red gi is balanced on the tip of a bamboo pole, one of many set into what looks like a miniature replication of part of Jusenkyo. The two watch in admiration as the girl moves from pole to pole in a rapid dance that ends when one of the poles snaps as she lands and sends her tumbling into the cold water below.

They're stunned when a small fox climbs out of the pool and shakes out her fur before fishing out her clothes and dragging them over to a nearby teakettle set on a hot-plate next to a stack of fluffy towels. The fox drapes one over herself before pushing a button at the base of the plate. A wire tied around the kettle's handle lifts it up and tips the contents over the fox. When the steam clears, Rei is kneeling there, decently covered with the towel; Akane still has a hand over Ranma's eyes. 

"Huh. This curse is really a pain sometimes," Rei says in exasperation as she walks into the house. Ranma and Akane drop back down to the sidewalk and kinda stare at the ground for a second.

"That explains why she was rushing so bad she stepped on Ryoga," Ranma says out loud. "If she was heading to a job, she wouldn't wanna be a fox when she got there."

"Why are all these people from Jusenkyo showing up all of a sudden, anyway?" Akane questions. "Ever since you showed up, there's been Shampoo, Mousse, Pantyhose Taro, and Herb."

_You're forgetting Ryoga,_ Ranma thinks to himself. Thanks to a promise Ranma had made to Ryoga, he still hadn't told Akane that her cute pet piglet P-chan was really Ryoga in his cursed form. _And I want to be far away when you _do_ find out._ Her vengeance would be terrible.

The two shake it off and walk through the gate just as Rei walks out of her house, dressed in a dry gi, a green one this time, and spots them.

"Ah! Konnichiwa, Ranma-san!" Rei greets him, bowing slightly. "Who's your friend?"

"This here's Akane." Ranma jerks a thumb in Akane's direction and his fiancée starts looking annoyed.

"Oh, so you're the one every guy in the school is mourning over," Rei chuckles. "The poor unfortunate girl engaged to Ranma."

"Hey, how'd you--"

"Are you kidding? I had at least three guys yakking my ear off about it and a lot more girls telling me how sorry they felt for you since Ranma's got all these girls chasing after him." Rei finishes tying back her hair into a braid and looks at Akane. "Hey, you don't mind if we spar, do you? I don't want to hurt your feelings or anything. If it makes you feel any better, I have a boyfriend back in China so I'm not gonna chase after Ranma."

Secretly, it did make Akane feel better, but she merely frowned. "Why would I worry about you going after a baka like Ranma here?"

"Hey, but you said--" Ranma is cut off by an elbow to the stomach. Rei just looks back and forth between them for a moment, a sweatdrop by her ear. 

"Hey, after I beat Ranma to a pulp, I can spar with you, Akane! I bet you don't get too many chances these days to fight with someone other than a student, hey?"

"That's sounds like fun!" Akane agrees, refraining to mention that the Tendo dojo was running on a sudden scarcity of students. Or that Ranma refused to be serious on the rare occasions when he sparred with her. 

"Ranma, do you want to borrow a gi?" Rei asks as they walk towards a more open area of the yard. A middle-aged man emerges from the dojo, wearing a blue gi with a flame on the left side and a fox made of fire on the back.

"Ah, no, thanks. Is this your dad?" Rei gives the man a hug as he walks over.

"Hi, Rei. Last students leave?"

"Uh-huh. Daddy, this is Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo. Guys, this is my father, Kyo Kenobishi. My mother's probably inside making lunch as we speak. Do you mind if we use the dojo, Daddy? Ranma came over to spar with me today."

"Don't see why not," Kyo shrugs. "Just make sure you don't destroy it, okay?"

"Promise!" Rei chirps as she leads them into the spacious hall.

The two spend a few moments stretching before Rei settles into a stance that is eerily familiar…

"Neko-ken?!" Ranma and Akane gasp, and Rei blinks in confusion.

"Cat-fu? What's that? This is a Fox-style defense stance, that's all." Ranma looks closer and realizes their mistake. Rei's fingers are curled outward into claws, her stance more balanced by having her body weight shifted into her legs, instead of on all fours like Neko-ken would have her do. Also, her entire body is much closer to the ground than she would be if she was using Neko-ken.

With a smile, Ranma settles into his preferred, loose defensive stance and looks over at Akane. "Would you do the honors, Akane?"

"Okay," Akane says softly. She picks up a nearby flag and stands between the two, flag parallel with the ground. "Ready. Set. Go!" And she leaps backwards as the match begins.

Instantly Rei shifts into a different stance and vanishes. Ranma has two seconds to register this before an open-palm strike to the solar-plexus sends him tumbling. Akane sees Ranma tumble and Rei appear for a moment, braid flying from her speed before she disappears again.

_She's fast!_ Ranma thinks to himself as he lands on his feet and opens his ki-sense, trying to locate his opponent by her battle-aura. _Real fast!_

"You can't just sense me, Ranma," Rei says as she hits again, this time a blow to the back. "I can suppress my battle-aura too well for that. Unless you're as good at ki as Herb is."

"That jerk from the Musk Dynasty?" Ranma catches a flicker to his left and lashes out with a knife-edge hand, striking Rei in the shoulder and knocking her into a wall. "I've fought him. He ain't that good at hand-to-hand."

"Ouch." Rei pulls herself to her feet and rubs her struck shoulder. "Guess I underestimated you, Ranma. I won't do that again."

Akane is stunned. No wonder Ranma never wants to spar with her! She couldn't see anything until Rei hit the wall. She had no idea _anyone_ was that fast.

"My daughter's pretty good, ne?" a cheerful voice asks behind the dismayed girl, who turns to find a brown-haired woman with a similar aura of tranquility as Kasumi standing there with a plate of sandwiches in the doorway. "My husband's been training her since she was two and he'd have started earlier if he could've, I'm sure, but we didn't find Rei before then."

"What do you mean?" Akane is surprised. Meanwhile, Rei and Ranma are still sparring in the background, sending up dustclouds, going at each other with a variety of weapons (including bokken, mallets, etc.) and generally trying to beat each other into a pulp. Mrs. Kenobishi has a small sweatdrop by her head as she continues. 

"Rei didn't tell you, hmm? Sometimes I think she forgets. She's actually adopted, official since she was two and a half."

"Don't remember my birth-parents," Rei grits as she catches Ranma in a headlock. "Dad told me that he and Mom found me at this place in China. What was it called, Mom?"

"Ju-something or other." Ranma somehow moves and catches Rei in an armlock.

"Jusenkyo?" 

"That's right!" Mrs. Kenobishi beams at him. "Have you been there?"

"Uh, yeah." A grunt as Rei heats her ki and drives him backward. "Pops dragged me there on some stupid training journey."

"Which one did you fall into, dear?" his opponent's mother queries while offering the plate of sandwiches to Akane.

"Naniichuan." Rei bursts out laughing and has to put the match on hold.

"A…girl?" she manages between laughs. "Ah! Gomen, but it's just _so_ funny!" 

"I don't think so," Ranma and Akane mutter in unison.

"At least you get to go swimming and stay human," Mrs. Kenobishi soothes. "Poor Rei isn't able to swim in anything but warm."

"Yeah, I'm lucky I can swim at all. Thanks for the food, Mom."

"No problem. Just call if you need anything." And the woman leaves. Rei stuffs a sandwich in her mouth and resumes a fighting pose.

"Rephry do go igen?" she asks with her mouth full. The other two just laugh as the match resumes.

***

"That was fun," Ranma comments as Akane puts a Band-Aid on a scratch on his cheek. The three are sitting outside the dojo, which is miraculously intact in the evening sunlight. "I didn't see that last punch coming at all."

"I didn't see that kick, either," Rei counters, already patched up and lounging on the grass. "But I'm guessing it's my ki attacks and defenses that you're interested in, right?"

"Yeah, actually. I mean, I've already picked up a few that I think I can duplicate, but I didn't catch everything."

"Not bad. How about you, Akane? Want to learn anything?"

"Some of those holds and escapes are totally new to me," the black-haired girl admits. "Guess I haven't been keeping up, huh?"

"Nonsense! No one can expect you to learn when no one's there to teach you, ne? I mean, unless you create a new style or something, right?"

Akane gives Rei a secretive wink while Ranma's eyes are closed during the application of hydrogen peroxide. "Right." Rei grins back and mouths, 'tomorrow?' and Akane nods.

"So you're adopted, huh, Rei?" Akane asks, changing the subject. Rei nods, bangs flopping into her eyes.

"Hai. I've got a couple of clues if I ever go looking for my birth-parents, and I've got a great story of how I got adopted by Mom and Dad."

Naturally, the two are curious so Rei settles more comfortably on the grass. "Mind you, I only remember a bit, so the rest is from my parents and the guide.

"I was with my real folks and my brother on a trip to China. At least, I think it was a trip. They were looking at a map a lot. Anyway, we were passing Jusenkyo when this bunch of bandits appeared. Turned out to be about ten men from the Musk Dynasty, protecting someone or other. I got split from my family and ended up falling into the Spring of Drowned Fox. One of the guys found me, fished me out, and took me to the guide. The fool thought I was edible, so he came up with a recipe. But he decided to check first at the man's insistence, thank the gods! So he found out I was human and took care of me for a couple days before the Kenobishis showed up and took me home with them. Mind you, they left a phone number so my birth-parents would be able to find me if they showed up again, but no one ever called looking for a little girl. So Mom and Dad adopted me."

"That's really amazing," Akane says, first-aid kit on her lap. "Don't you miss them even a little?"

"Can't miss what you don't remember, can you?" Rei chuckles and takes something from around her neck, handing it to Akane. "This is pretty much my only clue, however. Ain't much to go by, but hey, beggars can't be choosers." Akane opens the locket that Rei has handed her with a gentle thumbnail, fingers telling her that there's engraving on the back. One side shows a man and a woman, both fairly young-looking, with the man wearing his dark-red hair cut short, the woman with her black hair long. Both are smiling happily at the camera, sporting yellow-and-black checkered bandannas around forehead or throat. 

On the other side is a boy and girl, the boy slightly older than two-year-old Rei. Her hair is almost as dark as her father's, while the boy's hair is black like his mother's. They, too, are wearing bandannas, and all four of the family have fangs. 

"You, know, that boy looks kinda familiar, don't he, Akane?" Ranma asks, pointing to the boy. 

"You're right." The thought suddenly clicks into their minds at the same time and they both look at a startled Rei.

"Hey, Rei, how's your sense of direction?" Ranma asks.

Rei blinks. "Huh? Oh, I guess it's not any worse than most people's. I mean, I get turned around sometimes, especially in new places, but I could cover every inch of my old stomping grounds pretty easily." The other look at each other again and shrug to say,_ guess not._ But that's before Akane turns the locket over and reads the engraving.

_'Rei Hibiki'_

*****************

Cliff-hangers are fun! *runs away from crowd with pitchforks* Eeeeeeeee!

Starling: I'll finish. Thanks much to anyone who's review so far, though you really should wait until you finish all the chapters present. *Sweatdrops as Niana sprints past in the background still being chased* I warned her…Anyway, please read and review! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Yah, yah, see previous chapters.

Starling: You know, you should put more enthusiasm into your disclaimers. 

Niana: I don't need a wolf to tell me how to write.

Starling: How about to hunt? You're hopeless. 

Niana: I've only shot clay birds! Whaddya expect?!

Meh. Anyway, on to Chapter 3!

*******

"Okay, Hibiki _is_ a pretty common name," Akane reasons as she and Ranma spar in the Tendo dojo. "But there's still all those similarities." Ranma dodges her punch and makes one of his own, holding back enough so that if it strikes it won't hurt Akane. She dodges out of the way, much to his pleasant surprise.

"Yeah, like those fangs and the bandannas that all of 'em wear," Ranma points out, weaving back to avoid a five-punch/kick combo that startles him. "But she don't get lost like Ryoga-baka."

"Will you _please_ stop picking on him?!" Akane lashes out and manages to land a punch right on his chest. He tumbles backwards from the force, gasping, eyes wide. Since the blow had a degree of Angry Female Strike behind it, it's no wonder that it does an unusual amount of damage.

Ranma falls backwards and Akane rushes to catch him, her previous concerned surprise having grown to real worry. "Ranma! Are you okay?" A relieved smile when Ranma manages to grin through his harsh breathing.

"Serves me right for underestimating you," he admits and is helped to his feet by Akane. "Guess I need to keep my guard up, ne?"

"Told you I was better than you thought," Akane scolds him with far more gentleness that usual, and then blinks when her assistance brings Ranma so close his nose almost bumps Akane's forehead. They sort of freeze, staring into each other's eyes, inching a bit closer.

The moment is broken with the predictable arrival from-out-of-nowhere of Genma and Soun, the two men overjoyed at the sudden apparent affection of their children towards each other. Ranma bolts like a startled colt with Akane close on his heels, each fleeing to their own sanctuaries, leaving the two adults to wonder just what went wrong?

The two martial-artists later meet up briefly on the roof above Akane's room.

"So, do we tell her Ryoga might be her brother?" Ranma asks quietly. 

Akane nods firmly. "I'd want to know if I was her."

"Okay, then. Tomorrow at school."

***

But they don't get the chance. Rei somehow manages to elude them throughout the entire day, no thanks to the appearance of Kuno and Kodachi, a surprise appearance of Shampoo (Ranma nurses a sore cheek for two hours after), and the expected raid from the lecherous Happosai. 

To Akane's irritation they have to go to the Neko-Hanten to catch Rei while she's waitressing, with a mightily uncomfortable Ranma walking the fence above her.

They find Rei rushing to and fro in the middle of the afternoon crowds, carrying trays and bowls back and forth from kitchen to tables. 

"Konnichwa! Welcome to the Neko--Oh, hi, Ranma, Akane!" Rei grins at them. "Grab seats if you can find them! Be with you in a minute!" Shampoo looks over at Ranma wistfully, but she, too, is too busy serving to give Ranma an Amazonian glomp. Rei walks up to them just as the two find an empty table-for-two. She takes out a little notebook from her apron and a little pencil from underneath her bandanna and smiles.

"What can I get for you? Cologne-sama has already told me you get fed for free."

"Akane?" Ranma looks over at her. She studies the menu a moment before asking for the pork-ramen and Ranma orders a beef-ramen.

"Okay, but it'll be a couple of minutes, so please be patient." Rei darts off to greet another customer, and Ranma has to duck as Mousse comes flying out of the kitchen a few moments later to attack him. Rei flashes in, kicks Mousse back into the kitchen and lands neatly, all without spilling a single drop of broth from any of the four bowls she's carrying. She scolds the near-sighted young man and orders him back to work, and meekly he obeys, and Rei apologizes to the group of businessmen that she had interrupted in order to intercept Mousse.

Eventually the two get their food and eat slowly, checking for unpleasant additives that might have been slipped in by Cologne or Shampoo. None are found and they finish just as the crowds vanish back outside, Rei coming over with a smile.

"I'm guessing you didn't come for the food or Shampoo's company, ne, Ranma, Akane?" she asks brightly.

"Iie," Akane shakes her head, "Actually, we came to talk to you."

"Thought so. Gomen, but you please make it quick? Someone's picking me up when my shift ends in fifteen minutes. At least, I hope he is," she adds, glancing towards the door.

"It's pretty quick," Ranma tells her. "We think we know who your brother is." Instant attention. "It's a guy named Ryoga Hibiki. You met him the other day, remember?"

"You mean the guy who broke the table with your head?" Sweatdrop for Ranma.

"Yeah, him."

"Are you sure?"

"Not really," Akane admits. "But Ryoga looks very much like the boy in your locket's picture. He's got the same bandanna and fangs, and there is some resemblance between you two."

"Well, if he is, he should have a locket like mine with his name on the back," Rei says firmly. "Where is he?"

"That's the problem," Ranma sighs. "Ryoga-baka's got a lousy sense of direction, so he's always gettin' lost."

"Doesn't he carry a map?" This just in time to stave off another of Akane's mallets to Ranma's head.

"Don't help. He'll mean to go left and go right even if he's got a compass."

"So that's why you asked me about my sense of direction, ne?"

"Right." Akane and Ranma nod. It is at this point that Shampoo decides Rei, whether or not already taken, is getting too close to her groom and decides to reclaim her territory, subjecting the unfortunate pig-tailed boy to a famous Amazonian glomp. Things pretty much degenerate from there and it's pretty much reduced to an Akane-vs.-Shampoo fight by the time Rei can clock out. She's vainly trying to calm everyone down and starting to lose her temper--noted by the tiny flames starting to grow in her hair--when a very calm, collected voice says from the doorway;

"I see you're still as much trouble as always, cross-dresser." Ranma instantly shoves Akane behind him and assumes a defensive stance against the young man dressed in jeans and a tank-top, his hair short except for two tendrils by his ears.

Ranma face-faults, however, when a suddenly-changed Rei (uniform to jeans and a T-shirt) bounces towards the boy, singing out a joyful, "Taro!"

The unfortunate young man is treated to a fox-girl glomp and submits, actually smiling somewhat happily. It is the first such expression the recovered Ranma and the others have seen on his face since Happosai had agreed to change Taro's name. Because the old man had been the one to wash Taro when he was a baby (in one of the strangest Jusenkyo springs, no less) he got to name the newborn. Predictably, he included one of his fetishes, thereby giving the baby the name of Pansuto (Pantyhose) Taro. 

However, his name is still Pantyhose Taro thanks to Happosai changing his mind over the middle of the Pacific Ocean while Taro had been transporting the lecher to China. 

"Hang on!" Ranma demands, waving his hands a little for emphasis. "Rei, how do you know this jerk?!"

"I could say the same about you, cross-dresser," Taro retorts coldly over Rei's head. 

Ranma is furious. "It ain't cross-dressin' when it's a curse, you panty-pedophile!" Now Taro gets mad, and Rei shuts them both up with two small fireballs point-blank to their faces.

"Don't even start, you two. You'd likely break something and I don't want to add carpenter to my job description." 

"Taro is Rei's boyfriend?" Shampoo asks, as both boys seem to deflate. "Shampoo no think he'd want girlfriend."

"Well, we didn't start out on the best terms, either," Rei admits, turning slightly pink. Akane isn't sure what her friend is blushing about, since she's still carelessly draped over Taro. "Grab a seat?"

The others sit and Rei tugs Taro to a chair, standing behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin on his head and smiling. "See, I was on a business trip for my folks in China a few months ago, and doing some exploring while I was at it. But I got lost and hurt my ankle when I tripped over a hole. And, of course, it started raining." Taro tugs her gently to the chair beside him, and she sits. "So I'm wandering around, lost, cold, cranky, and wondering what the hell I did to deserve this. Then I hear what sounds like a mountain getting destroyed and my curiosity gets the best of me."

"I was practicing my aim," Taro adds, taking up the story. "When I heard a rustling in the bushes I threw a pebble in that direction. I heard a yelp and went to investigate. What do I find but a little fox with a pack beside her and clothes on top of it, knocked out by my pebble."

"Pebble?" growls Rei under her breath. "I'd hardly call something the size of my hand a pebble. If it had been anything else it would have been dead."

"And I would have had dinner," Taro responds. Rei sticks her tongue out and smiles.

"I woke up after the rain had stopped in somebody's bed in a fixed-up shrine house, head throbbing like crazy and too hot to keep the blanket on. I picked up a fever on top of everything else, you see. Not a good day for me. I used the sheet for a toga, since I couldn't find my clothes, and I tried sneaking out like an idiot."

Taro snorted. "You didn't get very far."

"I snuck up on you, didn't I?" Rei retorted. "He was sitting on the porch, and I whacked him over the head with my mallet and tried running. Didn't work; ankle was still sprained and the fever downed me again."

"So when I came to about five minutes later I picked your unconscious body up and put it back."

"Yup. And then there was--" An image of Taro's head imbedded in the floor with a rock on top. "And--" A statue this time, Rei running off wearing her clothes this time. "And--" Taro knocked out, tied up, and Rei running off.

"Finally I tied her up and told her to stay put until her ankle healed and her fever was gone, or I'd dunk her in a spring."

"I told him he could damn well try, but I'd toast him if he so much as laid another hand on me." Rei grinned. "All the heat I'd worked up, on top of my fever, made it kinda hard to keep my fires in and I wanted to toast something."

"I untied her and handed her some soup," Taro added. "She gave me this odd look before drinking it. What was that for, anyway?"

"I think I started hallucinating at that point."

"And then you passed out. Again."

"What do you expect, when I'd overexerted myself so much, eh?"

Ranma, Akane, and Shampoo all have sweatdrops by their heads while the two get into a cheerful argument. None of the three ever expected to see Taro this relaxed.

Finally Rei checks her watch and looks startled. "That late already? I promised Mom we'd check in before we went out."

"We haven't left yet."

"True." Rei and Taro get to their feet and turn to their table companions. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, Ranma, Akane!" 

"Have fun!" Akane tells her friend as they leave. When she looks back, Ranma has already disappeared, leaving a very disappointed Shampoo to return to work since Akane really doesn't interest her.

***

It's another typical school-day the day after the run-in with Taro at the Cat Café, and Akane is just settling down to lunch at an empty desk when several of her friends go rushing past. Curious, she catches up and stops them.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" One of the girls waves the others on before grinning at Akane and pulling her after. 

"The new girl's telling fortunes with cards! And she's really good!" Akane starts to protest that she doesn't believe in fortune-telling, but she's dragged along anyway.

Outside under a tree sits Rei, surrounded by girls of all grades and even a couple of boys, a worn set of Tarot cards spread on the grass before her. Only six are arranged and face up, the rest in a stack by the girl's knee. The star-pattern of the cards seemed to be on purpose, though Akane can't see why.

"Okay!" Rei says brightly to the upperclassman girl in front of her. "Here's the answer: instead of just running off when you see your one in a compromising situation, confront him and find out the truth. Don't just jump to conclusions, and have faith. That's what my deck tells me. Understand?"

"Mh. Thank you!" The girl rises to her feet and walks off with several other girls who appear to have already heard their fortunes.

"Hey, Rei, tell Akane's fortune!" her friend suggests, pushing Akane forward and in front of Rei. The red-head smiles up at the suddenly-embarrassed girl and shuffles her cards by picking up part of the deck and sliding random cards back onto the rest in her other hand.

"Akane, would you like me to?" Rei asks cheerfully. "It's a popular thing today. Mind you, I can only tell stuff in the near future, so five years from now is completely out."

"Come on, Akane!" her friends urge, shooing her forward. Akane nods slightly and kneels in front of Rei, who offers her the deck.

"Cut the cards, then!" she tells Akane brightly, smiling. Akane shuffles and cuts the deck, then hands it back to Rei. "Now, I need you to keep a specific thing in your mind while I lay out the cards. Doesn't matter what it is, I've gotten good enough at this where I can answer just about anything."

"So finding out who Akane marries is out, huh?" one of the boys ask. When Rei nods, they all 'aww' in disappointment. Akane blushes furious scarlet in time to attract Ranma from his lunch.

_What's she so embarrassed about?_ he wonders, wandering over. Rei closes her eyes and slides the top six cards off, arranging them in the five-pointed star with one in the middle pattern from before.

_Will Ranma ever stop treating me like I'm an annoyance? _Akane wonders in the direction of the cards as they are laid out. Rei flips them over and blinks. Everything is red or gold; the Coins, Cups, the Chariot, and the rare Dragon, uncommon in all but a few decks. The Dragon lights up the center of the star.

"That would be an emphatic 'yes', Akane. I don't think my deck's ever been this…loud before. See, this is your card, here," pointing to the image of the dragon curled around the moon. "And these are all emotion cards," pointing to the six, five, and three of cups. "These here are all positive cards," pointing to the Chariot and the Coin cards. Rei scoops her cards up and shuffles them back into the deck. "Hope that's a good thing."

Akane gives one of her rare, radiant smiles that is a reason so many guys chased after her before her engagement. "It's a very good thing."

"You lucky dog," one of Ranma's friends mutters at him. "Akane's so cute, and you got her for a fiancée. Not to mention you've got so many other babes chasin' after you."

"Lucky?!" Ranma turns his head to stare at the guy in disbelief. "I get beat up every day by at least one of 'em, I get drugged at least once a week just so one of 'em gets to go out with me, which _I hate_, and they're _always_ plottin' somethin'! Akane's the only one that ain't tried to do any of it except beat me up! And even _she_ does it 'cause she always thinks I'm bein' a pervert and hits me before I c'n explain myself! Where am I _lucky_?!"

"So how about I read _your_ fortune, Ranma?" Rei asks him sweetly. Ranma turns bright red as he realizes he'd been shouting by the last bit, and Akane is looking at him in angry tears. She turns to run off but Rei places a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Well?" she says pointedly, turning back to face him. "How about it?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Ranma asks in resignation. "Might as well find out if Pops got me engaged to anybody else while he was draggin' me around the world." The two kneel down again, and Rei hands him the cards.

"Cut the deck." Everyone is silent, watching, as Ranma cuts the deck randomly five times before handing it back. This time, Rei takes off a single card, sets it down in front of her, and puts the deck aside. "This isn't a question-answer fortune, Ranma. This is going to tell you which card represents you, and why, if any reason, all of the crap keeps happening to you. You ready?"

Ranma nods, a little nervous, and Rei reaches down and turns the card over. Everyone's eyes widen at the sight of the utter randomness of the cloud of color illustrated on the card. Only one word is on the card; no suit, no number, nothing else but the image and the word. 'Chaos.'

***********

Another cliffie! *Gets whacked by Starling*

Starling: you really have a death wish, doncha?

Niana: If it was the end of this big chunk, I'd say yes, but since it ain't, no! Thbbt! Please read and review, you wonderful people, you!

Starling: Anybody object if I bite her?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Nope, still do not own the rights to Ranma 1/2 or Yu Yu Hakusho. Sigh. Least I've got something to dream about, desu ne?

Starling: You are far too strange sometimes, you know that?

Niana: Oh, be quiet.

Chapter four: Chaos Cards

**********

"Well," Rei says softly into the utter stillness left by the revelation, "that explains a lot. No wonder everything that happens to you seems to be random. It pretty much is, what with Chaos choosing you as an avatar."

"What does that mean?" Ranma can't stop staring at the card.

"In two words?" A nod. "You're screwed. Totally, utterly screwed. About the only condolence I can offer is that you're not the only Chaos Card on this world." Ranma glances up at her sharply and she nods. "Yes. There are two others, and I've read both their fortunes. Each came up with the Chaos Card, like you. You've actually got the lightest touch of Chaos on you, Ranma. The other two were much worse."

"I'm not even going to ask," Ranma mutters under his breath. "I've got it bad enough. Hate to see what they've gotta deal with."

"A whole lot more crap than you," is Rei's firm reply. She slides the card back into her deck and looks around at the people standing around her. "Anyone else want their fortune--" the end-of-lunch bell rings, and everyone realizes this has taken a lot more time than anyone has thought. "Hm, maybe tomorrow." With varying sounds of disappointment, the gathering disperses. 

During a break Ranma heads up to the roof, in need of quiet to think about the revelation that had hit him like a punch to the stomach. As he opens the door of the roof exit he hears a soft humming. Rei is already perched on the fence that is supposed to keep students from jumping, sparkling threads spinning themselves from air around her dancing hands as she sits and hums.

She glances up at him and smiles as he seats himself a distance away, just watching. The threads, none of which are the same color anywhere along their lengths, continue to move until they weave themselves into a beautiful tapestry that doesn't seem to be a picture of anything and is larger than Ranma's entire body. With a final gesture from Rei the new weaving disappears into thin air, the same place that girls get their weapons, Ranma suspects. He has yet to figure out how they do _that_, although Doctor Tofu seems to have caught on to the technique.

"Feeling lost, Ranma?" Rei asks quietly, still seated on the fence. Ranma nods and stretches out on the warm cement, tucking his hands behind his head.

"Little bit. It's like everything's suddenly comin' together a bit too fast."

"If it makes you feel any better, I do understand how that feels." Ranma glances up at her; the red-haired girl is staring up into the sky, wind blowing her hair over her shoulder.

_She really is beautiful,_ Ranma thinks to himself indifferently. Whether or not he'd admit it out loud, Akane really is the only girl he's interested in. He just keeps screwing up because the only person he's spent much time around is his father, and God only knows _that_ man isn't someone you'd want to talk about women with. He'd have to see if Tofu could give him some advice.

"So where'd you learn that thing with the threads?" he asks, changing the subject. Rei smiles, still looking upwards. 

"From my grandmother, before she died last year. She was one of the best weavers you'd ever meet, and she taught me a lot. Cologne kind of reminds me her, actually. Just without the obsession of getting you to marry me." A laugh before Rei hops off the fence and brushes her hair back. "Come on, break's just about over."

Ranma rises to his feet and follows after, holding the door open for her before going through himself. For some reason, his head really is much quieter than it was a few minutes ago. He doesn't notice the sparkling thread Rei is running through her fingers.

***

Akane glances over at her friend that afternoon during P.E. It isn't noticed among all the outright stares from the boys, which Rei isn't paying a damn bit of attention to, busy applying suntan lotion to her arms. Today they'd be doing swimming exercises, and both she and Akane are wearing two-piece suits that are modest and yet still draw more attention than some of the skimpier suits.

"Ready for a swim?" Rei asks Akane as she ties her hair back. Akane looks down at the ground as one of the other girls informs Rei that Akane can't swim. "Really?"

"Uh-huh," Akane sighs. Rei grins.

"Then I'm just gonna hafta teach you!" Rei informs her, walking towards the pool. Akane is surprised to see a small tattoo in the shape of a spider inked on the eccentric martial-artist's shoulder. About five minutes later everyone is in the pool, Akane with Rei in the shallow end. Akane is shocked: with Rei bearing the Curse of the Fox, she shouldn't be able to be in the pool at all!

"How come--?" Akane points at Rei and the girl grins, holding up her wrist. A silver thread is wrapped around itself to form an elegant bracelet.

"I came up with this a few days ago. I'm not sure if it'd work on anyone else who has a Jusenkyo curse, though, so keep it under wraps until I test it some more." A wink. "Now, let's get started. I'm betting it's all that muscle that makes you sink so badly. It took me a while before I found a way around it, too."

"What's that?" Akane felt hope.

"It's a use of ki. Essentially, you use it to make your body lighter, or to shove yourself upwards when it wants to sink. A friend of mine is a ki-master and has developed the technique enough to actually fly, believe it or not, and he's taught it to his friends. Wanna try?"

"Umm…" Akane is reluctant. So many people have tried to teach her to swim, that she's kinda given up on the whole idea.

"Come on, Akane, what have you got to lose? You're in the shallow end so you can't exactly drown," Rei cajoles. Akane finally nods, and Rei gives her a hug. "Okay, then! First things first; tune everyone but me out. Just concentrate on you and the water and a little on me."

Everything fades around Akane as she closes her eyes and does as she's told, leaving only the weight of the water on her skin and the way it reacts with her ki. "Okay," a quiet voice says from off to her left. "Now just lie back in the water and let your ki take your weight away." 

Joy floods Akane as her feet leave the bottom of the pool and the water doesn't close over her head. The exultation messes with her concentration, though, and suddenly she sinks like a rock. A firm hand hauls her back to the surface and knocks water from her lungs with a few good thwacks, while applause from all around makes Akane blink. The class is clapping and cheering, Rei grinning at her; it is her hand that is wrapped around Akane's wrist.

"And so the first step to getting rid of your 'hammer' reputation is taken," is the merry comment from her friend. "Ready to give it another go?" A broad smile grows on Akane's face.

***

Asleep on the roof, Ranma is awoken by the sounds of bricks breaking in the yard below. A quick peek shows that his suspicion is correct: Akane is wearing a gi and is breaking stacks of bricks with her bare hands. Normal behavior for Akane, who uses the exercise to work out frustration. But today is different. Ranma looks closer and gapes.

Instead of the normal dark expression he would expect on Akane during this exercise, his fiancée is actually wearing a broad smile, as if nothing can ruin her mood. He opens his mouth to call down to her, but Nabiki beats him to it.

"Hey, Akane!" the middle Tendo sister calls from her window, "Why the smile?"

"You'll never guess, Nabiki!" Akane shouts back, nearly running to stand under the window. "I swam today! Really swam!"

"No way." Nabiki is doubtful--frankly, so's Ranma--but Akane nods excitedly and nearly bounces in place. 

"Rei's teaching me to use my ki to keep me from sinking! I did three laps! Three!" Still smiling, Akane bounces back to her bricks and Ranma lies back on the roof, wondering why this strange girl has suddenly appeared now and has started putting their insane lives in order.

*******

Meh, no real comment. Please read and review. No flames, Starling'll just chew 'em up and they'll be reduced to what they really are. Fertilizer. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Groan. No, still own no rights to Ranma or Yu Yu Hakusho. *Goes off into a corner to mope*

Starling: -.-'

Chapter Five: Pick a catchy phrase. ^,.,^

*********

Meanwhile, in another district, a young man with somewhat spiky, long red hair is tending his roses while the sun sets behind him. A small alert flashes in his head at the approach of a familiar ki, and he dusts his hands off and smiles at the girl running up to his fence. Her hair, a different shade of red and longer than his own, is bound back into a thick braid tied off with a green band. The girl herself is wearing jogging shorts, a short-sleeved shirt, and jogging shoes (plus the various accessories a girl would wear), all in vibrant shades of green and blue. Both have identical emerald green eyes, sparkling with good humor.

"Hello, Rei," Kurama greets his favorite cousin. "What brings you out here? I thought your parents and you moved to Nerima."

"We did," Rei chuckles, "but you know it takes a pretty long run for me to work up a decent elevated heartbeat." She leans on the fence with her arms, delight clear on her face as she looks over the garden. It is an ordered riot of all the colors of the rainbow, the roses taking pride of place among the various other plants. "Geez, Kurama, this garden gets bigger every time I see it. Where do you get the time these days?"

"I make time." Kurama grins and ruffles Rei's bangs. A kind-looking woman comes to the back door and smiles in surprise at the girl leaning against the fence. 

"Rei! What a pleasant surprise! Do your parents know you're here?"

"Hi, Auntie! Yes, I told them I was going for a jog, and they know I usually come here when I can. How've you been?"

"Doing much better, thank you, dear. Would you like to stay for dinner? Suichi has already invited over that charming young boy. One more couldn't hurt."

"That sounds wonderful, Auntie. I'd love to." Kurama has a tiny sweatdrop by his head as a calm, slightly amused voice sounds in his head.

_'First time I've ever been called charming.'_ Oblivious to the silent comment, Kurama's mother goes back into the house, presumably to call Rei's parents and inform them of the plan. Rei looks up into the tree beside the fence and grins.

"Okay, Hiei, you can stop hiding. Your ki gave you away, as usual." Out of the growing shadows in the tree materializes a boy dressed all in black with black, spiky hair. The only things that relieve the darkness of him is his skin, his maroon eyes, and the outline of a white star-burst in the hair of his bangs. More white touches his forehead in the form of a headband, the ends trailing by his elbows. It covers his jagan eye, the magical item that grants the koorime clairvoyance, added strength, and the ability to cover his body in extra eyes for awareness. 

He actually grins back at Rei, as though he can't help it in the warmth of the girl's merriment. Rei cocks her head to one side in confusion.

"Hey, Hiei, why aren't you using your real voice? Something happen?" For an answer, the fire-apparition tilts his chin up to reveal a throat covered in bandages.

"Despite our being on vacation, Hiei can't resist getting into a minor tussle or two," Kurama says with humor as Rei gasps. Hiei glares down at his friend before being pinned with one from Rei.

"Hiei koorime, get your fire-born butt down here this instant and let me see that!" Unwillingly, Hiei drops down to stand beside the two, revealing just how short he is compared to the other two; his eyes are nearly level with Kurama's shoulder. However, the reluctance is mere show since Hiei knows that a 'let me see that' from Rei usually means a healed whatever in moments.

Rei expertly unwinds the bandages from a submitting Hiei's neck, and hisses through her teeth when the injury comes into view. A heavy, ragged slash across the skin above his windpipe bleeds sluggishly and moves with every breath the fire-apparition takes. "By Inari, Hiei, what were they doing? Trying to take your head off??" 

_'Yes, actually,'_ Hiei says in her mind, voice calm as always. _'Unfortunately for them, I took theirs instead. Besides, Yukina's already looked at this.'_ A trace of affection fills his mindvoice at the mention of the gentle ice-apparition who is Hiei's sister.

"So I can see, since your windpipe isn't damaged like it could be," Rei replies sharply. A snap of her fingers and little silver threads begin connecting the sides of the wound and draws them together neatly. When it is just a thin line, Rei runs the glowing tip of her right index finger across it, the flesh knitting itself seamlessly behind it. "But your sister doesn't have five years of healing-ki training under her belt like I do." Hiei shrugs; as much as he'd like to take offense, Rei is right. His friend's cousin straightens and ruffles her own bangs. "Geez. The only thing that stops me from giving you both a lecture is the knowledge of the kind of injuries you sustain during your assignments."

"Kids! Supper's ready!" Mrs. Minamino calls cheerfully from the door. Rei grins and nudges Kurama.

"Race ya?" And they sprint for the door, laughing like two children. Hiei follows more sedately, not interested in such games.

***

Busy at her desk, doing homework as usual, Akane catches the end of a conversation the next day at school.

"Yeah, I'm serious, Tomoe," one of the upperclassman girls tells her friend. "Sakura found Hideki behind the gym with a girl in his arms, kissing her!"

"Did she slap him?" Tomoe asks in curiosity.

"No. She did what that new girl told her to do. She walked up and demanded to know what was going on. Good thing she did, too. Hideki held up the script the drama class is working on and showed her the intro scene, telling her how he'd gotten the lead role and wasn't sure how to tell her, since it was a kissing scene. And then the other girl tells Sakura how she's envious that Sakura's got such a loyal guy, and how he'd been stressing for twenty minutes before they'd gotten to rehearsing."

"So then what happened?" 

"Hideki gets down on one knee and _proposes_ to Sakura!" Tomoe's friend squeals in excitement. That's about all Akane hears as the two walk past.

_Huh,_ Akane thinks to herself,_ I guess Rei's predictions really are accurate._ This gets her to wondering when Rei's prediction for herself will come true. And then she realizes it's already begun; Ranma hasn't teased her for a couple of days and has actually sparred with her, something he rarely--if ever--does.

"Hey, earth to Akane," a voice says. Akane breaks out of her reverie to find Rei leaning down in front of her. "Class is starting." The two take their seats just as the bell rings, and Akane leans over to speak before the teacher enters.

"Rei?"

"Hm?" The red-head is busy taking her materials out.

"Do your fortunes always come true?"

Rei gives her an appraising glance. "Getting curious, hm? For the most part, yes, they tend to be, though sometimes the cards throw me for a loop. It's happened before, though thankfully never about anything major."

"All right, students," the teacher says firmly as he walks in, "get your books out and open them to page ninety-five." The conversation breaks off, though Akane's mind places most of her attention on things other than the assignment…

***

"How was school, Rei?" her mother asks as the young martial artist walks through the kitchen door, tossing her bag onto the table and heading up the stairs.

"Exhausting, as usual. Who knew so many people'd want their fortune read? There's another girl there who's got predictions that are damned accurate, but everyone's seemed to have forgotten her." Rei sheds her socks and the tight braid, letting her hair flow loose with a sigh.

"No one can have predictions as accurate as yours, dearheart," Akiko Kenobishi soothes calmly. Rei laughs mirthlessly while she still takes the stairs at a sedate pace.

"Considering what I am, I wouldn't expect them to," is the cryptic answer as Rei vanishes onto the second floor. Mrs. Kenobishi merely resumes the creation of dinner, knowing that her daughter will be back down in time to take care of the evening class. 

Rei sighs another sigh, this one of released tension as she enters her room, the bowl of dried rose petals and other herbs catching the late afternoon sunlight and sending it back in bright shards. The silver threads arranged against the doorway vanish as well as the 'normal' side of the room. 

Instead of the bed and other furniture one would find in a bedroom overlooking a fairly quiet street, there is instead a large loom and a complex arrangement of multicolored threads arranged against a wall, another wall almost entirely taken up by a window that opens onto a green meadow liberally doused in wildflowers. 

Rei herself is also changed: instead of her uniform she now wears an elegant robe that drifts around her lithe body in the way that only pure, high-quality silk can, and her hair has bound itself into a high ponytail strung with crystals.

A harp and flute begin playing somewhere as the room finishes its transformation and Rei closes and locks the door behind her. "Well," she says softly into the music-touched silence, "time to get back to work."

***

Akane clears her throat nervously before walking through the large gate leading into the Kenobishi's yard. She's here to learn or develop a new technique like Rei promised to help her with, and her nerves are wound nearly tight.

A group of fifteen students of varying age and coloration is already just outside the dojo, well into a round of careful stretching, all dressed in the wine-colored _gi_ that marks them as the School's.

Not more than a couple of moments pass before one of them, a boy that looks about nine, spots her and trots up with a wave to Mr. Kenobishi. The man gives a nod of acknowledgement to Akane before returning his attention to the class.

"Can I help you, miss?" is the polite query, and Akane smiles weakly. 

"I'm here to talk to Rei, please?"

"_Ni-sensei_ will be here in a few minutes. May I inquire as to your name?" _Remarkably polite for such a young kid,_ Akane thinks to herself.

"My name's Akane."

"Oh!" The polite mask dissolves to reveal a regular, cheerful boy. "Rei mentioned you! Said that since she missed you the other night, that you'd be popping up soon. I'll go get her!" And he races off. Akane is left blinking, startled.

"Akane-san!" Mr. Kenobishi calls from his post. "Would you like to join the class while you wait?"

"I'd love to!" Akane says, beginning to relax. This is just like the old days, when the Tendo Dojo was packed with students and her father was an actual _sensei_, and she would be asked to help demonstrate something. But that was before Ranma had shown up, nearly a year before, actually and Akane has sorely missed all the noise of a busy dojo. 

Willingly Akane sets her gym-bag down and walks over to the class, taking an empty space near the back and swiftly limbering up. She is already dressed in her _gi--_the gym bag holds her regular clothes. When the rest of the class finishes stretching, Akane stands with them as they patiently await instructions.

"Right, my lambs," Mr. Kenobishi says teasingly, "Let's begin today's lessons. Now, last time we ended with a demonstration with how to break a bear-hug from behind. Anybody remember how to do that?"

_This must be a beginner class,_ Akane thinks to herself as several students raise their hands. Mr. Kenobishi picks one at random and the student trots up to the front. To Akane's surprise, the method the student demonstrates on Mr. Kenobishi is a use of pressure points coupled with hooking her foot behind one of his and knocking him off balance, then shoving backwards with an elbow and making him fall. 

Mr. Kenobishi nods approvingly from his new seat on the ground and looks at his other students. "Right now, kids. Did Miss Hakuraba do anything wrong with her defense?"

Akane listens and watches in fascination as flaws or perfect forms are discussed along with the physical demonstrations, and jumps at a light tap on her shoulder. Rei is just behind her, dressed in a dark red _gi_, her hair braided back into a coronet, feet bare like everyone else's. With a smile Rei jerks her head towards the empty dojo, and the two slip off without interrupting the class. 

"My dad's a good teacher, ne?" Rei asks happily as they enter the dojo. Akane nods in amazement as Rei stretches and loosens her muscles in preparation. 

"It's been a while since I've been a part of a lesson like that," the short-haired girl replies truthfully. "To be honest, our Dojo hasn't had any students for a while--over a year."

"Really?" But Rei doesn't seem to be terribly surprised, though the reason for that may be the distracting task of stretching properly. "I'll bet that'll change soon."

"How would you know?" Akane asks teasingly, and Rei grins, standing up straight and pushing a few stray wisps of hair behind her ear.

"Oh, I have my ways. Now, before we get started, let's find out what you already know…"

***

Ranma looks up from the homework Kasumi had suggested he finish as the front door opens and shuts, the sound of a bag being dropped on the floor reaching him clearly.

"Tadaimas!" Akane says tiredly as she walks through the living room on her way to the kitchen.

"Okaeri!" Kasumi calls back sweetly. "Did you have fun?" she asks as Akane disappears inside.

"Hai. Is there something I can snack on before dinner, Ane-chan?" 

"There should be some crackers in the cabinet." Ranma shrugs and looks back down at the boring stretch of math problems in front of him, then blinks and jerks his head back up again to stare at the kitchen doorway. Akane's arms had been covered in bandages, and one leg had been wrapped from heel to knee! What the hell had she been doing?!

"What are you staring at?" Akane snaps as she emerges from the kitchen, a plate of crackers in one hand and a glass of iced tea in the other.

"What'd you do, get into a fight with Shampoo and Ukyo at the same time or somethin'?"

"For your information, I found a quieter place to train. Not that it's any of your business," Akane adds under her breath as she walks past to go upstairs. Ranma bristles, but deflates again when Kasumi comes out to check on his progress. 

A few hours later, after dinner, Ranma sneaks upstairs to check up on Akane, who had vanished back into her room after eating. To his pleased surprise, the door is ajar, and he peeks in. Akane is on her bed, unwinding the bandaging with books scattered all over the bed and her desk. 

"Ouch," Akane hisses as the last of the leg-wrap is removed and four deep scratches are revealed, running parallel down her leg. "That really hurt. Guess they look worse than they feel, though."

"'Quieter place to train', huh?" Ranma asks, walking in with his peace-offering of some tea and dessert, which Akane had skipped. "Where, at the zoo? What made those, anyway?"

"Don't you ever knock before you come into a girl's room?" Akane snarls half-heartedly. She blinks when Ranma sets the food on her desk, pushing aside a few books to make a space for it. "Oh. Thank you."

"Yeah, well, you're welcome," Ranma mumbles, turning a bit red. "I mean it, though, I want to know where you went."

"Fine, but don't tell my father, okay?" Ranma nods. "Like I said, I found a quieter place to train, but it's a bit far. This," she gestures at the scratches, "was from some baka jumping me and trying to rob me on my way home." She really hopes Ranma doesn't spot the lie. Judging by the way his jaw just dropped, it's a good chance he doesn't. "But don't worry, I whacked him into next week. He just surprised me, is all."

"You went to see Dr. Tofu, right?" Ranma asks in concern, and Akane nods. "Well, okay then." He turns to leave, only to be stopped by a near-whisper of, "Ano…"

Akane is blushing furiously, looking rather ashamed. "About what you said the other day at lunch. I'm…sorry. I really shouldn't keep jumping to conclusions like I do."

"No, you shouldn't," is the rather rude reply. "'Cause I'm gettin' really tired of it all. Not just you," he amends, "but everyone. Kuno, Ryoga, the other girls, and whoever else keeps showing up. I'm gettin' _real_ tired of it. 'Bout the only good thing with it is that my martial arts are pretty much the best around. Cologne and the old pervert don't count--they've had a couple centuries to learn." He softens a bit as Akane continues to look down at the floor. "But at least you done somethin' they haven't."

"Really?" Akane asks softly. "What's that?"

"You've figgered out that what you're doing ain't fair, which is more'n I c'n say for anyone else." And before Akane can say anything else, Ranma walks out.

***

Elsewhere in Nerima, two sparkling threads covered in rainbow colors dance in darkness around a pair of graceful hands. A pair of emerald eyes gleam in that darkness, and lips part in a fanged smile. "Well," is the quiet comment, "that worked out better than I expected."

*************

Wow, that was an unusually long chappie. Yay, me. Let's hear it for Akane actually using her brains! *gets malleted* Ow…Read and review, as always! Thanks much!


	6. chapter 6

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, no rights, no fun. Feh.

Chapter 6: To peek, or not to peek?

========

Kurama leans against the wall of his employer's office, with Hiei by the window and two human boys standing in front of the desk. One is taller than the other by about a head, and has coppery hair styled in a 60's 'do; the other has short black hair slicked back over serious brown eyes.

Their 'employer' is none other than King Enma Jr., also known as Koenma, the toddler-like ruler of the Spirit World. While his father is off on business, anyway. Who is currently seated at his desk, sucking on a blue binky like there's no tomorrow.

"Geez, Koenma, what's got _you_ so worked up, huh?" the black-haired human boy--named Yusuke--asks cheekily.

"Something's happening in Nerima," is the edgy reply. "Our other agents are reporting a sudden change in planned events in that area. I want you four to check it out."

"Are you serious?" Kuwabara and Yusuke laugh. "You want us to play regular detectives?" Yusuke questions in disbelieving amusement.

"That's exactly what I want you to do. Particularly in the neighborhood around Furinkan High School and a place called the Tendo Dojo: most of the alterations are occurring around there."

"Aw, man," Yusuke complains as they leave the office, "this is gonna suck. We finally get a breather and we get sent off on some boring investigation work. How lame is that?"

"No kidding," Kuwabara agrees. Hiei simply looks over at a rather concerned-looking Kurama.

"Didn't you tell me Rei lives in Nerima?"

====

"Geez, Akane, I really _did_ go overboard on that last attack!" is Rei's startled exclamation as Akane comes through the front gate. Bandages still cover the short-haired girl's arms and leg, the heavy scratches not yet completely healed. "Why didn't you tell me my Fire Claws did that much damage??"

"Calm down, Rei," Akane soothes her friend, patting air with her free hand as she sets down her duffel bag. "Dr. Tofu says they'll heal in a couple more days. Nothing big."

"Still," Rei says doubtfully. "I don't like the thought of causing you that much damage."

"Pfft. I've done worse to myself." Akane starts stretching and Rei gives up, beginning her own stretches before they begin again. It's another crisp early summer's day, and there are no classes for Rei to help teach, so Rei has called her friend over for some extra time training.

"Rei!" Mrs. Kenobishi calls from the house. "Guess who's here? Suichi!"

"Suichi??" Rei is out of the dojo and across the lawn, flinging herself at a slender young man with wild red hair and eyes the same shade of green as her own. Akane follows more slowly and stops several feet away as the visitor swings Rei around in a circle before setting her down and grinning at her.

"Hello, cousin," he greet her warmly, and Rei grins back at him.

"Hello, yourself! What brings you all the way to Nerima?"

"Work, as always." Rei's face falls.

"Drat. I didn't think it was a social call. Where's Hiei?" Akane is watching this conversation in interest.

Suichi looks uncomfortable. "He's wandering around somewhere." Rei sighs.

"Somewhere above street-level or getting into a fight as usual, I'm sure."

"Hey, um, Rei?" Her friend blushes and clears her throat.

"Oh, right! Sorry, Akane. Suichi, this is Akane Tendo, my new training partner. Akane, this is Suichi Minamino, my cousin, but his nickname's Kurama."

"Rei, please," the boy chides softly, but his eyes spark with interest at Akane's last name, "you know Mother doesn't approve of nicknames and if you tell people then she'd get upset. When she inevitably finds out."

"I'll call you Suichi, if you'd prefer," Akane says politely, and the green-eyed boys smiles brightly at her.

"Thank you, Tendo-san."

"Akane's fine, thanks."

"As you wish, Akane." With a near-invisible sigh, Suichi turns back to his cousin. "I merely wanted to drop by and say hello before the others drag me off somewhere."

"You mean like me?" a cool voice asks, making the two girls jump. Behind Suichi stands another boy, a head shorter than Rei's cousin and clad in black. Black longsleeve tunic/shirt, leggings, boots. A white bandage strung with a chain hung with a couple of odd charms is wrapped around his right forearm, a white headband tied under his spiky bangs and trailing past his elbows. His hair is naturally spiked straight up, bangs outlined heavily in white. Maroon eyes regard everything around him with indifference.

Akane isn't sure what to think of him, except that he's very skilled, and probably dangerous if you get him riled. A quick half-grin full of arrogance confirms it. Rei scowls a moment at him, then grins and sticks her tongue out. "Hiei, you just love sneaking up on me, doncha?"

"On the rare occasions that I can," the boy admits freely, shrugging one narrow shoulder. "Come on, Suichi," an odd emphasis on the red-head's name, "we have work to do."

"True," Suichi sighs, and gives his cousin a quick hug. "Ja neh, Rei-chan."

"Ja neh, Suichi-kun!" is the wistful reply as the two turn and suddenly blink out of Rei's sight.

"They're fast," Akane comments in surprise.

"Yah. Those two've been training since forever, and it shows." Rei seems to deflate a bit, and gives Akane a sidelong grin. "When Hiei uses some of his ki-based attacks, it's all some people can do to stay and watch. And those are people that aren't _getting_ the attack."

"And the people that are?"

"Let's just say you never, _ever_ want to be on the receiving end of one of any of that group's attacks, ki-based or not. Even their weakest fighter can out-punch me. Of course, Kuwabara _is_ a blockhead and stubborn, accustomed to being flattened on a daily basis, and has the stamina to show for it. He's taken hits that would kill just about anyone else."

"Where do you _meet_ these people?!" A laugh and another grin.

"The same place I meet people who turn into things when splashed with cold water and martial-artists who don't know when to quit." Conceding defeat, Akane just laughs along with her friend and they go back into the dojo to resume their training.

====

Kurama blinks at the piece of paper his cousin had pressed into his hand when she'd hugged him. It is neatly folded and has a single name written on it. _'Koenma'_.

"And why do you suppose she gave me this?"

"To give to Koenma, obviously." He takes a closer look and grins, a spark of a hidden personality showing. "Want to open it?"

"Hiei, what have you been doing?" Kurama asks with an amused smile. "Someone's been rubbing off on you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." But the paper is in his hand and he has moved to break the wax seal when Rei's voice breaks into his head.

_'Open it and I give you Jagan nightmares for a week, porcupine head.'_ Wisely, he hands the paper back to Kurama and they vanish back to the Rekai, the proper name for Spirit World. (Makai =demon world)

====

When the two hand the paper over to Koenma before returning to Nerima, they stay long enough to see him start sucking on his binky furiously before he tells them they can go get the other two boys and inform them that the problem is taken care of. Hiei, unable to resist his hidden curiosity, peeks inside the ruler's head to see out of those child-like brown eyes.

What he sees startles him, although he masks it from anyone else. The paper is a list of birth dates, death dates, and notable events (some very minor, like Mrs. Amano getting her flowers dug in by the neighbor's cat). Some have red markings beside them, noting a change in the days and times. What he sees midway down the list, though, nearly stops him in his tracks. It is with a great effort that he keeps his thoughts shielded and his feet moving without him. Kurama doesn't seem to notice, lost in contemplation of some plant or another. Strange, he usually picks up on Hiei's moods as fast as Hiei has them.

But the koorime ignores him, keeping that bit of information to himself. _Rei Kenobishi, age 16: born October 30th 1986 at 11:59 pm: dies three months from today at 6:32 pm._

====

"Drat," Rei mutters as she works at the enormous loom. "He peeked. I suppose he can't resist letting that bit of cat-demon he's got get the best of him. Oh, well, easily solved." And a thin cord pops into the air in front of her, glowing a black-violet color--the same shade of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame attack Hiei uses. This is one of threads she works with magnified. With a single touch to the top end, Hiei's face smoothes out into his usual bland mask as the memory of his knowledge of the list is erased, the tenseness vanishing from his slender body.

_'I wonder what that was about,'_ Kurama wonders to himself, glancing at his friend.

"Why are you staring at me, Kurama?" is the disinterested query. Kurama merely smiles slightly and shakes his head.

"It's nothing." And the two head back for Ningenkai. (Human World).

===================

O.o What can Rei be planning? And why the hell has she set her own death?? Find out next time, on--

Starling: Stop acting like that dratted DBZ announcer!

Niana: T-T. No one loves me. Read and Review!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I can't believe they make us do this every single time. No, I still don't own the rights to either Ranma or YYH, and I still want to. Happy?

Starling: The administrators probably are.

Niana: You be quiet.

Chapter Six: A pocket full of surprises.

*********

"Are you sure you want to try him, Akane?" Rei questions a few days later as they finish up the last class of the day and their own workout. Akane nods firmly.

"The style we've been working on feels really good, Rei. And it's about time I show him I'm not someone who needs protecting all the time."

"Now _that_ is a feeling I understand perfectly," Rei sighs. "Dratted boys always think I'm a china doll to be wrapped in bubble-wrap and stuck on a high shelf. Until I break a few heads, anyway." Akane laughs: she hasn't felt this strong in ages--she might actually be able to show Ranma a thing or two, since he hasn't sparred with her since that Sunday evening.

"Okay, I'll give him a call and have him come over for a session. I just won't tell him with who!" 

***

Ranma blinks from where he lays on the dojo floor, staring up at the ceiling. What the _hell_ was that?? One minute he's standing in front of Akane, waiting for the match to start, and the next thing, this. Did he miss something?

Someone comes into his field of view. Takes him a second, but his brain finally comes up with a name. "Hi, Rei."

"Welcome back to the world of the waking. Did you enjoy your nap?" Her voice is full of amusement as another person leans over him. His brain id's her almost immediately. 

"Akane, what did you do?"

"Rei's been helping me develop a new branch of Anything Goes. Well, some new techniques, anyway. How's your head?" she asks as they help him to his feet. He shakes the cobwebs from his skull and grins lopsidedly. 

"Might sound weird, but did you even move?"

"Told you you'd gotten faster," Rei murmurs to Akane. The short-haired girl grins in glee.

"So that's where those scratches came from," Ranma growls, but his heart isn't in it. He's busy trying to figure out what Akane did so fast. Slowly it comes back. 

"Geez, how the hell did you blur your feet like that?"

"Kenobishi technique similar to your rapid-fist, except this concentrates on feet rather than hands," Rei tells him cheerfully. "Akane's a real natural when it comes to the speed techniques. Now that you've gotten a taste of what Akane's capable of, how about we get a real sparring match started?" Ranma just shakes his head in shock and starts laughing in earnest.

***

It is later that evening that Rei once again takes refuge in her peculiar pocket dimension, sighing as her _gi_ once again changes into a gown; though this time it is much simpler, just a sleeveless bodice and loose skirt in dark green plush.

Threads of rainbow colors spin themselves from air around her, and one hand reaches up and 'captures' a particular one. It glows a grim grey-blue, a very depressive color for spirit energy. Rei sighs and runs it through her fingers, the color brightening in a bit. "Well," Rei sighs tiredly--the whole day and keeping this secret of hers around all of these people is starting to wear her out, not to mention keeping track of the minute changes the presence of a Chaos Card inflicts upon her weavings--"Let's see if I can finally meet this brother of mine."

***

Ryoga is very confused. This doesn't look like Hokkaido at all. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. Every time he tries to leave Nerima so he can get his head straight he always gets himself turned around. He shouldn't be surprised, he mocks himself in his mind, he's always lost--right?

If only he can get Akane off his mind! Life wouldn't be nearly so bad as it is now if he could just forget her and repay the humiliation that damned bastard Ranma keeps giving him.

"Now that's a pretty grim face," a cheerful voice says from his left. The Eternally Lost Boy snaps from his train of thought and sees the girl who was nice to him at the Cat Café sweeping the sidewalk in front of a spacious home. "What's got your spirits down--Ryoga, isn't it?"

"I didn't know you lived in Hokkaido," is Ryoga's startled response. Rei laughs and keeps sweeping.

"This isn't Hokkaido, silly! This is northern Nerima district."

"Crap." He knew it. He'd gotten lost again, like always. Rei chuckles and cocks her head to one side. Ryoga turns bright red.

"So, like I said, what's got you so down, hm?"

"Want a list?"

"Tell you what," Rei says, leaning her broom against the stone wall and dusting her hands off, "why don't you come inside and have some breakfast? You look like you haven't eaten--or washed properly--for a couple of days."

"I don't want to be a bother," Ryoga mumbles, but Rei shakes her head and grabs his arm. 

"Nonsense. It'll be nice to have someone else in the house besides my parents and me." And giving him no chance to refuse, she drags him into the house, he protesting weakly the whole time.

***

"There, I'll bet that's better, ne?" Rei says in satisfaction a little while later at the breakfast table. Ryoga is seated across from her, looking much better now that he's had a chance to wash and put on clean clothes. Mrs. Kenobishi smiles at him as she sets out a large meal, Mr. Kenobishi grinning at him.

"So, my daughter's seems to have taken an interest in a boy! That's a surprise."

"Da-ad!" Rei half-rises in protest and Ryoga notices something glinting around her neck. It looks awfully familiar…

"Hey, Rei, is that a locket?"

She blinks at him, distracted from the playful argument she and her father seem to have gotten into. "Eh? Oh, hai. Do you want to see it?"

"May I?" With a sound of agreement Rei undoes the catch and hands it to the black-haired boy, who immediately goes white and stares at it--and the pictures inside--with a look of utter shock on his face.

"But…but this is…"

"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Kenobishi asks as sweetly as Kasumi can, a bright twinkle in her eyes. Rei's already explained everything to the two adults. Not answering, Ryoga reaches into his oversized and heavy backpack and pulls out a small blue velvet pouch, spilling something into his hand and comparing it to Rei's locket. When the red-head leans over she is unsurprised to see another locket like hers lying in his palm.

"Ranma mentioned that my brother looked like you," is her only comment. Ryoga looks like someone poleaxed him and then whacked him on the head a few times with it.

"But…but _how_?" he demands plaintively. Rei takes her locket back and puts it back on before answering, telling him what had happened when she was two. Ryoga yanks out a cell-phone from his back and hastily dials a number, still looking stunned.

It rings a few times before a voice on the other end answers with a cheery, "Moshimoshi?"

"Dad?" Ryoga asks hoarsely. The voice on the other line is instantly concerned, worry carrying to the other listeners. "What happened when I was three?" A noise of startlement, then incomprehensive information. Ryoga goes whiter. "Did I have a baby sister?" A query. "'Cause I think she's sitting right in front of me." A shout of shock easily heard by everyone. "So I do, don't I? Why didn't you tell me?!" Rei grins. "That's not a very good answer, Dad. Okay, fine, I'll hold while you call Mom." He puts his hand over the speaker and looks over at Rei.

"Looks like Fate's being nice today," is her only comment. Her adoptive parents are grinning like crazy and hugging each other as they watch. The teen girl walks around and sits next to her brother, leaning against him happily. There is a sound from the phone and Ryoga puts it back to his ear, taking it away the next and looking pained. 

"Ow, ow! Mom, stop shouting, yes, she's here right next to me." He hands the phone to Rei and she takes it, smiling.

"Moshimoshi!" The sound of joyous weeping from the other end. "It's really been a long time, hasn't it, mother?" Mrs. Kenobishi sniffles a bit, but is still smiling. "No, I don't blame you for what happened. From what I've seen from Ryoga, it looks like I'm the only one with a sense of direction that can get me to the same place without trouble. Must've skipped me."

"Hey," Ryoga protests softly. Rei grins and sticks her tongue out. 

"Yes, I'd love to see you again. Do you have a GPS?" A pleased sound. "Oh, good. Just look up Kenobishi Dojo in Nerima. It's where me and my adopted family are." Sound of sadness. "They've taken wonderful care of me, and I love them very much. Don't worry, everything will work out, you wait and see." Ryoga notices a small, secretive smile on his newly-discovered sister's face as she bids their parents a wistful goodbye and ends the call. "Well, on the bright side, I found my biological family."

She is swept up into a rib-cracking hug--literally. She squeaks as her lungs are compressed almost painfully, and quickly hits a pressure point. A muffled sound of pain and Ryoga releases her, looking at her reproachfully as he cradles his numb arm. Rumpled, she glares back. "If you're gonna squish me like that every time, you aren't going to be getting many hugs."

***********

Niana: Bet that hurt.

Rei: Yes, it did. Don't have him do that again, okay?

Niana: But he's in character when he does it!

Starling: That doesn't seem to be much of a concern of yours.

Niana: Okay, so they act somewhat OOC. Big whoop. If anyone doesn't really like it, they don't have to read this fic. Or, the kind, gentle readers can politely point it out. That's their job, not yours.

Starling: :p


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Nope. Still no rights to anything but my original characters. Sigh.

Chapter 8: Out of this dimension ~_or~_ One-hundred-and-one (or just one) ways to use a Pocket Space.

********

Hiei is seriously bored. Or rather, lonely. The little fire apparition reflects on the strangeness of that while he sits in a tree on the edge of Nerima district, watching people go past him. A couple of years ago, it wouldn't have mattered. But ever since he met that dratted kitsune, he'd been slowly immersed in a world that involved more than your sword and your next meal. A world where friendship was not a foreign concept, as it still is to his own mind.

He sighs, and goes to another tree to watch more people, and try to block out the thoughts that thunder against his mental shields while still being around them. The fact that they are human no longer really matters to him. He's just tired of living in silence.

To alleviate this new problem, he normally goes and visits with Kurama, but the ningen-bodied fox is still in school, and Hiei does _not_ like the stress-levels of that place. Whoever only knows he's had enough stress in his own life; he does not need it shouted into his skull at full volume by other people. 

Damned fox. Why'd he _have_ to go work of some new project at that brick prison, anyway? It's not even a school day. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. And he can't even go train, because that idiotic toddler-ruler has penned him here for the time being while he goes over whatever it is Rei'd had them deliver last week.

Rei. Now _there's_ a thought. Hiei actually smiles in--were it anyone else--what could be considered relief. Not that he'd admit it to anyone, but he actually enjoys the human girl's company almost as much as the fox's for two very good reasons: one, she never bothers to chatter around him as so many seem to need to. And two: she keeps her thoughts firmly to herself, behind shields that he has never been able to crack, even when a curious probe led to a professionally-interested assault. She'd even grinned at him while he did it, daring him to try. Three hours and not even a crack in the defenses later, he'd given up with a shrug and his trademark, 'Hn.' 

As invisibly as he had landed in the tree, Hiei slips off, this time towards the safe haven of the Kenobishi Dojo.

He lands on the dojo roof a few minutes later, fully expecting some class or another, as there always seems to be, but to his surprise finds the yard and building empty of people. A ghost of movement and he's at a first story window, and only finds Rei's adoptive parents seated at the kitchen table, enjoying lunch.

Mildly frustrated now, Hiei leaps gracefully and lands without a sound on Rei's bedroom windowsill, fully prepared for a shriek of startlement if his timing is off and she's changing. But what he sees through the window is much more shocking--and much, _much _more interesting--than a half-dressed girl.

The interior of the room is completely different. And that doesn't mean she's rearranged the furniture, got new stuff or even painted the walls. It's like an entire room from another place simply got picked up and moved here.

An enormous wooden machine Hiei vaguely remembers from a textile shop he'd stolen from (that wool plush had kept him warm as a cloak for months) as being called a 'loom' stands against one wall, with a wooden door made of what looks like cedar where the original one was. A 'spinning wheel' is near the loom. The walls that he can see are logs--probably pine or redwood, Hiei reflects--stacked one on top of the other. A breeze blowing from behind him carries the heady scent of a forest and flowers, something he half-misses from his wandering days. 

Now intensely curious, he slides the window open and slips inside. And blinks. The room is suddenly normal again, the new room gone. Confused, he returns to the windowsill and the new room is back, accompanied by the sound of birdsong, where there should be no birds. Positively burning with curiosity, Hiei spends a moment or two sliding in and out the window, trying to enter the strange room without anyone noticing.

And just when a rhythmic humming reaches his ears, he tumbles--his mentor from the thief camp would be furious to see him lose his balance like this!--into the strange room onto the thickly-carpeted floor. Hastily he darts back out the window, suddenly filled with a feeling that this is one place he should not intrude on, only to have his feet encounter soft grasses instead of the walkway he'd expected.

He turns, crouching so that anyone entering the room will not see him, and stares. He is surrounded by wildness. Five hundred feet from this bizarre building an ancient forest of conifers and cool-clime trees springs from rich soil, the space between it and the building carpeted in calf-deep grasses and a myriad of wildflowers, all releasing their intoxicating scents into air that drones with the sounds of bees and insects.

Movement inside the room makes him drop lower, into a coiled crouch that will send him flying should he choose, and he listens. Then is shocked again, when it registers that it is Rei singing. 

__

"Spin for a new day, that's what I do;

Take from the chaos by ones and twos

Threads that are new souls, each whole and true,

And add them to my weaving.

Spin, spin, the destinies,

Spin, spin, the destinies,

Spin, spin, the destinies,

Spin the destinies Fortuna!

Spin for a true day, oh soon you'll see,

Everyone finds their own destiny

But what that is, is defined by me,

Add your color to my weaving!

Spin, spin, the destinies,

Spin, spin, the destinies,

Spin, spin, the destinies,

Spin the destinies Fortuna!

Spin 'till the last day, then you'll be free,

And then you can choose what end you'll see,

This is the price to weave the Tapestry,

Add your own soul to the weaving…"

Hiei is nearly asleep from the soothing repetition of syllables before the meaning of the nonsensical words actually hits him, and he restrains from jolting in place. This ningen…his friend…this scrappy _girl _that gives him orders and puts him back together so neatly after a fight…is Fate?

He only becomes aware that he's said this last part aloud when the singing stops and he glances upwards to find Rei leaning out the window and looking at him with utter disbelief.

"How in the name of the Higher Ups did _you_ manage to get in here?!"

"Window." 

"The window? Impossible! No, no," she corrects herself, shaking her head, "_improbable_, but not impossible. Sometimes I wonder just how much cat-demon blood your father gave you, Hiei, the way you seem to get into places you really shouldn't be."

"Fire." He nearly grinds his teeth in frustration--no matter how badly surprised he is, he should still manage more than single-word sentences!

"Yes, I know, you're a fire apparition, but did you ever wonder _why_ you lack stature? Your father, not that he'd be willing to give up a secret like that, was a quarter cat apparition. Ju-ust enough for all the benefits, and too little for things like the ears and eyes. He wasn't exactly a giant, either. Your mother didn't know, since all she could see was the fire in him."

She offers him a hand and he takes it, getting pulled to his feet and regaining his perch on the sill. The loom is covered in shining rainbow-colored threads that have their colors split by white every so often along their lengths. That's on the parts that haven't been woven yet. A beautiful but abstract design has been woven and sits on the support threads, waiting.

"Why'd you come today, anyway?"

"Kurama's working on a new project, and I dislike being at that thing he calls a school. Strongly. And your shields are the best I've seen. I figured I could at least be around someone without getting shouted at or ordered around or nattered at."

"And Koenma's probably confined you to this district so one of us can keep an eye on you, ne?" A reluctant nod and Rei smiles in sympathy. "You still want to stick around?"

"You're still allowing me to stay?" Hiei can't keep the disbelief from his voice, or that tiny bit of yearning that she would. The solitude is delicious.

"I can't let you remember anything besides an un-boring afternoon, but yes, you can stay," Rei says quietly. "Given a choice and the peace of this place, I'd never leave here again, either. But! We have an existence outside this pocket dimension, and it's linked quite firmly in the Tapestry. So I just come here to work, which I have quite a bit to catch up on."

Hiei notices the odd garb of green plush velvet dress and crystals strung in rich red hair, and blinks. Rei gives him a lopsided grin and shrugs.

"Call it a uniform. I'll call you when I'm done for the day, all right? But don't go beyond the trees--the dimension ends just out of eyeshot of the cabin." With a nod to show he understands, Hiei drops down onto the ground outside, picks a spot that has just the right amount of sun hitting it--and not too many bees and whatnot buzzing around--and flops down for a nap with Rei's quiet singing in his ears.

***************

That song kept getting stuck in my head, so I decided to fit a parody to it! Serves it right! Please read and review!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Hey, I actually typed that right on the first try for a change. That's a switch. No, still no rights but to my original characters.

Chapter Nine: Odd Conversations.

=======================

Whoopie. It's a week later, and the teachers have pulled together a school-day out of a perfectly nice--if somewhat windy--day. Ranma is stretched out in his desk, feet on either side of the one in front of him, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling. Rei is dozing at her desk, head pillowed on her arms. Come to think of it, most of the class is zoning out while the teacher drones on about mythical people.

Very few take notes as he lists off gods and other deities in that same pedantic monotone, going through several cultures--though some perk up and act interesting when he gets to the Celtic Danaans and their gods--until he gets to the Greek myths and Pantheon. Roughly a third of the class wakes up and starts taking notes, occasionally correcting the teacher when he misspeaks a tidbit of one myth or another, but Rei naps through it all until he reaches the lesser deities, and Fortuna.

"Fortuna," the man says in his slightly nasal voice, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, "also known as Fortune and Fate, is one of the most common 'threads' if you will among the various cultures that are polytheistic, and is also portrayed in the Greek's Pantheon." Rei blinked awake at the teacher's first mention of this goddess, and now watches him with the eyes of a full-stomached cat watching birds from the windowsill. Mild, predatory interest shines in her eyes as she listens, but Ranma seems to be the only one who notices.

"In Greek myth, the goddess Fortuna sits above the entire Pantheon but holds status only as a lesser deity, since she is rarely mentioned in the myths of this culture. Writings and statues found depict her as Justice's sister, but wielding a sword instead of the scales Justice uses to balance her judging. Since she is blindfolded, Fortuna strikes randomly at those around her, chance being the reason someone--mortal or god--is struck by her blade." He goes on for a little while longer on the subject of Fate, and Rei once more drops into a catnap as the teacher drones onto a different set of gods.

Later, when the bell has rung to release all of them into the afternoon sunlight, Akane, Ranma, and Rei walk together before their paths split. Rei is apparently charged with energy thanks to the quality sleep she got in class, and nearly crackles as she walks. Ranma decides to bring up what he'd noticed.

"Hey, Rei, is Fate your favorite goddess or something? You seemed pretty int'rested when the teach was talkin' 'bout her."

"You noticed," Rei says, voice flavored with amusement. "You might say she's my patron deity, actually."

"So you believe she controls everyone's entire life?" Akane questions curiously, and is given a firm negative headshake.

"Or do you believe that everyone's entire destiny is set?" Ranma adds as a different opinion. Another headshake.

"No. What I believe is something quite different.Fate doesn't try to control everyone's entire destiny, Ranma. She just sets the destination and lets people muddle their own ways through with a bit of help now and again. If she did otherwise, I doubt she'd have any time to herself!" And with an amused laugh, she takes the street that leads homeward, waving good-bye to the pair as they take the other road. "I'll see you later for training, Akane-chan!"

"Jah neh!" the two call back, and keep walking, each with a smile that has sprung unbidden to their lips.

====

Hiei is getting rather irritated. There's a piece of time missing in his memory. No, correction; it's _there_, but he can remember nothing about it, except that it wasn't boring like most of his days are lately. And that bothers him. He may not have the most perfect memory in the world--a fact he'd never let anyone know--but a recent afternoon should not just lie there in his recollection like a piece of fog.

He can't seem to help poking at it, like he would a minor hurt to see if it is healing properly. Except that there is nothing to heal. It's just…blank. He slams a fist into the trunk of the tree he hides in, leaving a large dent and shaking several small branches loose. Damnit! What is _wrong_ with him??

Finally he comes to a decision. Rei is a healer of the body, therefore she would probably know about minor bouts of amnesia and could possibly do something to help. A few leaves tremble as he heads off.

====

He makes it to her front gate and perches there just as she becomes visible, walking from around a corner, still in her school uniform, bookbag slung over one shoulder, the free hand swinging rhythmically as she strolls leisurely towards him. A knowing smile curves her lips, lights her eyes from within. He wonders fleetingly what's gotten her into such a good mood.

Suddenly she stops, cocks her head to one side, and frowns, cheer vanishing. She stands directly below him, uncharacteristically blind to his presence. Hiei hears a male voice from the air--it sounds faintly mocking.

"Having a good time, eh?"

Rei merely leans against the wall, taking out a cell-phone's headset, and slips it on. Hiei approves. This way she will not appear strange and attract attention. "Actually, yes. This is going rather nicely."

"And the boy?"

"Probably doesn't suspect much, if at all. Now, Hiei on the other hand--" the koorime refrains from startling at his name being mentioned "--he's entirely trouble. Higher Ups if I know how, but he actually managed to get into my workroom through a sealed window."

"One of my best sub-Cards, that one."

She chuckles. "Don't let him hear you say that, Chaos. Being a sub-anything is not to Hiei's style. It's top-rung or nothing, barring someone who is seriously able to kick his ass or is an ally. I'm still wondering if he's ever going to get around to thwacking Yusuke."

"He will if I have anything to say about it." The voice remains irritatingly cheerful, Rei frowns even harder.

"You will not interfere in my bailiwick, Chaos. Nor shall your brother, Order. Understand me?"

"I don't have to listen to your orders yet, little Fortuna. You've got one more go at being Fate before that'll happen."

"Why, Chaos," and now the girl's voice turns to innocent--hah!--surprise. "Haven't you ever heard of a useful little thing called 'black-mailing'?"

"You wouldn't. It goes against your honor code."

"Wanna bet?" A wicked smile blooms. "I've been picking up a few tips from Nabiki Tendo. That girl's got connections from here to Reikai and back, whether she knows it or not."

"Yes," a new, androgynous voice says quietly, "The second Tendo daughter is one of my favorite Cards, sub or not. She does such wonderful work, organizing everything of hers perfectly."

"Neat-freak," mutters the first voice grumpily.

"Better than living in a pig-sty like you do," the second voice retorts, and Rei lifts a hand.

"Children," she says warningly, "Must I pull rank on you?"

"Fine, fine," the two voices mutter in unison. The second one fades out on the second 'fine' while the other makes one more remark.

"You know you've got Hiei right above you, right?"

"Crap," the two mortals mutter in unison: Hiei because he's been caught out by something he can't even sense, and Rei because Hiei once more knows something he very much shouldn't. With a chuckle, the first voice fades out and Rei wearily tilts her head back to look up at the wary fire apparition.

"Why'd you come today, Hiei? Gap in your memory?" He nods. "I was afraid you'd do that. I'm sorry, but you're about to have another one."

========================

So, whatcha think? This is as far as I've gotten, so it may be a wait until I get another chapter up. Gomen. Either way, I need information on events leading up to the battle with Saffron, including the time of the year (if anyone knows it) with as much detail as humanly possible! Thanks much!


	10. Chapter 10

Wow, I feel so loved! My first fanfic and I'm on people's favs! =^,.,^= *sniffle* Thank you, everyone!

Starling: Quit being so sappy or they might change their minds.

Niana: Love you bunches, too, pup. :P

Starling: I know you do. ;) 

And now, for those dreadfully monotonous disclaimers: No, still not the owner to the rights of Ranma or YYH. I guess I'll just have to be content with merchandise, naming my plushies after favorite bishies, and calling my computer Kuwabara. ('cause that's exactly who it acts like!) Sigh.

Chapter Ten: An Unfortunate Turn of Events

**********

All right. Now he's really starting to get irritated. There's two holes in his memory instead of one now, and he's very much _dis_inclined to go to Rei about it, since the holes seem directly related to her somehow. It's maddening. And he can't help but feel the tiniest itch of a third involving that thing he and the fox delivered to Koenma. 

After driving himself half-crazy with it for a few…days…Hiei finally gives it up as a lost cause and tries thinking up fun ways to dismember his enemies just for something to do. Maybe he'll go irritate the fox later…

***

"Damnit! _Now_ where am I??" comes a familiar howl from somewhere off to the left. The screen adjusts, and reveals a very tired, rather ragged Ryoga wandering down the street, totally lost--a usual day for him, then. As far as he can guess, he's _supposed_ to be in Kyoto right now, but that's…he spots the Neko-Hanten and starts swearing inventively in several bizarre languages. Nope. Right back where he started. Damn, damn, and double-damn!

Hiei is watching this in mild interest--the boy's got a good grasp on the sentence structure, even if his fire-apparition accent is absolutely _terrible_. Not to mention several words in several mammalian-youkai languages and a few regional hanyou dialects. This kid gets around a lot, it would seem.

Ryoga's cursing is broken off, however, when he notices the streak of red aiming for him. He'd assume it's his sister (wow, he still isn't quite used to saying _that_ yet) if it wasn't so small. It's cat-sized, really. After it flashes by his brain pauses, redigests the memory-clip, and informs him that that was a fox, not a cat. On a busy street, in broad daylight, looking very concerned. And it was wearing a very familiar bandanna. 

Three burly men sporting various minor injuries shove rudely past him, obviously intent on following the path of the fox. With a grim smile Ryoga falls into step behind them, praying that he isn't right and that he ABOVE ALL ELSE doesn't get lost NOW! Hiei, surprised at the thought patterns that just got shouted into his head by that fox, follows after them all while staying to the tree-tops, katana out and ready.

***

__

About fifteen minutes before_ that…_

"'Scuse me," a large man in a business suit startles Rei from her gardening, making the slender girl jump and regard the man with wide eyes. "Is dis the Kenobishi res'dence?"

"Depends on who's asking, sir. Can I help you?" Dusting off her hands, she rises to her feet and brushes off her knees, keeping this stranger well within her view at all times.

"I'm an employee of a bizness pa'tner of dis girl's boyfriend, see," the man explained in that atrocious Japanese accent, "and it seems the boyfrien' ain't being too cooperative on some of our deals. Renegin' if ya want. An' my boss, he ain't too happy 'bout it. So's we got sent to find da Kenobishi place and talk to da girl."

"Are you intending to harm her?"

The man seems positively horrified at the thought. "Geez, no, miss! We just wanna talk to da girl, 's all!"

Rei doesn't even twitch as she picks up on two other rather strong auras sneaking up behind her, and mentally cursed that stupid baka Chaos for stirring up trouble. She knows for a blasted fact that Taro has zero dealings with any of the 'Family'. "You keep mentioning 'we'. I suppose you have friends."

"Yeah. Mick, Dave, say hi to the nice lady here." Rei reluctantly shifts enough to be able to see all three and sighs inwardly. All of them would have the reach and muscle on her. Her only hope would be her speed, if it came down to that. The two others, equally muscled and dressed in identical blue suits merely nod.

"Yo./Hello."

"How do you do?" Rei responds politely, not really expecting an answer. "Might I inquire as to your Family?"

"Family, kid? Ain't got no idea whatcha talkin' 'bout!" the first man laughs, but Rei picks up the increasing tension rising off the man and frowns. 

"I'm afraid none of the Kenobishis are home; they left to do some shopping a while ago and won't be back for a few hours at least," she lies glibly, but by the narrowing of all three men's eyes, she knows she is not being believed. _Crap, here we go again. Chaos, I'm gonna kick your ass for this one!!_

"Well, den, why doncha show--" the first man begins to walk towards her, the other two reach into their jackets. She doesn't give the first guy a chance to finish his sentence, slapping a palm onto the ground and channeling ki into it before jumping straight up and into a tree. From there her path leads to the top of the wall and down the other side in time to avoid the explosion caused by her 'Dynamite Mole' attack. The three are barely scratched, though, when they come racing around and over the freakin' wall--she'd have to think of something better.

Then she starts snarling her own chain of curses as she runs straight past this neighborhood's 'Water-tossin' Old Lady' and gets doused. For a moment, she hopes that the disappearance of the human Rei will throw the thugs off, but no such luck. She _really_ needs to remember to ditch the checkered bandanna when she gets chased by people from any 'Family'.

And now she leads them on a merry chase through a good portion of Nerima, wondering how the hells these men have worked up enough stamina to keep up with _her_. _'Must be steroids,'_ she thinks as she runs, darting between legs, underneath grocery and food carts, around trashcans and across lawns, under fences and the like in an attempt to shake them. It, like her 'Dynamite Mole' has no luck in working. And in this form, she has no hope of manipulating their Threads to make them forget about her.

She spends the next few moments after that particular realization mentally shouting a stream of invectives at the blasted Meddler and his thrice-forsaken Card's unwitting effect. She's run out of city by now and races among the trees, ducking bushes and brambles with as little effect as before, except to shave away that much more of her energy. 

An involuntary yowl of pain escapes her throat when she trips over an unseen and unsmelled gopher hole, wrenching a hind-foot painfully in a near 180 degrees and slowing herself considerably. The men, who had finally gotten confused, instantly orient on the sound and resume their chase. In a last-ditch effort she crawls into the heart of a particularly nasty blackberry bush and lies there, panting and cursing every single aspect of Chaos with extra fervor.

The sounds of plants getting hacked away reaches her exhaustion-dulled ears and she sends up a single prayer to the ones she knows might hear it. _'Higher ups, please! Don't let them reach me! I _hate_ getting quasi-killed!'_ And then she squeezes her eyes shut and scrunches herself into a lump of red and black fur and waits…for anything.

***

Its own miracle, Ryoga does not get lost following the men, and follows them with considerably greater woods-skills, quiet as a breath as he creeps up on the bastards that dare go after _his_ sister. They've circled a thick pile of blackberry runners with vines the same diameter as his wrist, hacking away with gradual effect with blades too big to be called pocket-knives, but still too small to be called daggers.

Hiei has already taken perch in a tree directly above the center, where he can just barely catch glimpses of burnished red fur from amidst the bush's canes. He'd heard quite clearly her screech of pain, and wonders what she's done to make it. The boy from before seems to have had no problem following the men, and is now creeping up behind them. The koorime admits to himself that the ningen boy (with _fangs_?…) is actually decent at sneaking around. In total silence he resheaths his katana and sits back to watch the show.

A few more minutes creep by, the men about halfway through the bush and snarling curses as their hands are stabbed by the wicked thorns. _'Morons,'_ Ryoga thinks scornfully, _'anyone with sense knows to wrap their hands before handling those vines!'_ Hiei lifts an eyebrow--useful advice, but these men are undoubtedly foolish as the boy labels them. But why does he keep calling that fox his sister? Admitted, the thoughts he caught before shields slammed shut were human and felt like Rei, but Rei has never mentioned having a brother.

Finally Ryoga's close enough, and he taps the one he's closest to on his shoulder. "What the--?" The man begins to turn, and that satisfies Ryoga's honor code enough to allow his to strike before the man has more than his profile to him. 'Never strike from the back' is a rule Ryoga tries hard to live by. The man goes flying from the force of Ryoga's blow, right into another patch of blackberries. His cursing, raspy from having a rib broken, is most satisfying. The other two men simply pull out two handguns and aim them at him. _'Crap.'_

And suddenly, they are both holding the back halves of their guns, as a slender, short boy with spiky black hair simply reaches down with a wicked katana and slices them. Ryoga merely glances upwards as the stranger resumes his seat and keeps watching.

"A real fighter has no need of stupid human 'guns'," Hiei informs the stunned men coldly. "Fight with your own selves."

They don't get the chance. Freed of the problem of having a bullet hit him before he can twitch, Ryoga leaps across the brambles to the next guy and uses him as a landing pad, both feet landing squarely on the man's (Mick) chest, sending him tumbling hard to the ground and then propelling himself into Dave. The man goes down just as hard as his companions, and stays down. Ryoga stands there a moment, not even breathing the slightest bit hard, before turning towards the center of this tangle. Hiei has already seen fit to send the first man into temporary oblivion, quickly enough that Ryoga doesn't notice.

"Rei?" he calls gently. "It's okay, imouto-chan. They're not gonna hurt you anytime soon." To Hiei's mild surprise the fox slips from between two canes the size of his forearm and limps slowly towards the fanged martial-artist. She is panting from her longer-than-usual run and from the pain of her leg, but nothing else seems to be wrong besides the few scratches her fur couldn't save her from. Ryoga gently scoops her up and glances upwards, to where Hiei is still sitting, this time with his feet dangling and his elbows resting on his knees. "Thank you."

"Merely leveling the playing field," is the brusque, unemotional reply, and Rei snorts, opening her shields for a single thought. 

_"And if he didn't win you'dve kicked all of their asses, right, Hiei?"_ He simply looks at her.

_"In a heartbeat."_ And then he vanishes from both the ningens' sights. Rei merely shakes her head and points her brother in the direction of home.

**********************

Wow, Hiei actually does something nice. O.o

*Hands her two reviewers cookies* Thank you very much. It's nice to know someone's actually reading my story. 

Starling: That's a hint to review, people. So far we've only had two people, and Slade doesn't count 'cause he's actually reachable to pound if he didn't. 

Not that I'd actually hit my 'big brother'. Tease him, maybe, but he's too nice to hit. *Fends off hugs from Slade*


	11. Chapter 11

Niana: Yee! I got a new reviewer! [Hands Silverknight7 a really big cookie] To answer your question, you'll have to wait and find out. I've actually got the ending to this fic already worked out, but I don't have the stuff about Saffron so I can't finish the middle. T.T

Starling: You talk too much, Niana.

Niana: Says the wolf who spends over an hour on the phone with Cassiopeia talking about a certain tasty bishie--

Starling: =0.0= [Hides her wolf-demon plushie] . . I don't know what you're talking about.

Disclaimer: Yanno, screw it. You want one, go see the other chapters.

Chapter 11: Pick a Card, any Card!

==========================

"You certainly did a number on yourself, Rei," Dr. Tofu chides gently as he wraps her ankle in a support wrap. "How did you say this happened again?"

"It--ow!--happened while I was--ouch!--running from Yakuza or Triad--yow!--men, that's how."

"Why were they even there in the first place?" Ryoga demands from his chair by the exam room door.

"They gave me some crock about Taro being uncooperative in their dealings with him."

"Eh??" Ryoga bolts to his feet and looks just about ready to rush off--thereby getting himself lost once again--but a glare from Rei has him resuming his seat.

"Don't you even start. I know for a bedamned fact that he has nothing to do with any of the world's Families, Ryoga. So don't go and get your bandanna in a twist." Tofu merely shakes his head as he ties off the support wrap and stands up.

"As an experienced medical practitioner, it is my job to know when to stay out of things. This is one of those times," he informs the two. "Rei, you can take the bandage off in five hours, unless you go and 'tweak' it. Try not to walk on it until then, either."

"Hai, Dr. Tofu," Rei sighs. "Thank you very much." She looks over to Ryoga. "Looks like you're piggy-backing me home, bro."

====

__

Next morning:

"Akane! You gotta see this!" Ranma's pleased voice pierces Akane's dreams and wakes the raven-haired girl from a rather unusual dream. Something about threads…

"What??" she yells back, shaking the last fragments from her mind and sitting up.

"Just come downstairs! Wear your gi!" Curiosity outweighing her annoyance at the rude interruption of her sleep, Akane obligingly gets dressed in her gi and goes downstairs, fluffing her hair into some semblance of order. What she sees through the back door makes her stop in her tracks. A dozen older men and a few middle-aged women are standing there, talking to Soun, and all of them are carrying gym bags.

"So what do you think, Tendo-san?" one of the men says as she walks up. "Since most of the dojos around town are just catering to the younger set, we wanted to know if you'd think about gettin' yours up and runnin' again. You always did have extra consideration for old bones."

"Well, if it isn't Akane-chan!" one of the women says in surprise, looking past her father and smiling. "How are you, dearie?"

Akane smiles when she recognizes the baker from down the street. She always has a bun or two for the kids when they've had a bad day. "Good morning, Oba-Yoshida! What's going on?"

"Oh, we're trying to get your father to reopen the dojo for us poor senior citizens, is all. But you know him, he's being stubborn."

Soun is instantly given the starry-eyed treatment from his youngest daughter. "Oh, please, Daddy?? It'd be so nice to teach and train with a class again!" Soun stammers and stalls for a few more minutes, but finally gives in to the cajoling of the older folk and the pressing of his daughter.

Akane spends the next minute or two bouncing around the yard in pure excitement, much to the amusement of Ranma and the adults, before setting a time for the first class. Nabiki is the one who sets the price--relatively modest, considering it's Nabiki. Then the teens remember that today happens to be a school day, and the excitement vanishes in a rush to avoid being late.

Excitement returns halfway through first period however, and Rei keep giving her amused looks as her friend squirms occasionally in her seat, as though ready to burst with happiness. Akane nearly pounces on her the second the bell rings, grinning joyously at the red-haired girl.

"What's got you so wound up, eh, Akane-chan?" the affectionate use of the suffix just increasing the smile's width.

"You'll never guess, Rei-chan! My Dad's opening his dojo again!" To Akane's mild surprise, Rei merely tips her head back and laughs.

"Ah! I see! And didn't I tell you such a thing'd be happening?" Akane thinks back and realizes that Rei had indeed bet that things would change.

"How do you know all this stuff, Rei? All the fortune-telling, and the techniques, and all that?" is the wistful query from Akane, and Rei merely gives her a cat's-got-the-canary smile and a wag of a finger.

"Mm-mh, my dear Akane, that's a trade secret! If I told you I'd have to kill you," she finishes laughingly, giving the short-haired girl a sidelong glance as an invitation to join in her amusement, and after a few moments of startlement, Akane does so.

====

Kurama sprawls on the lawn of the Kenobishi front yard, sunlight streaming down and making every single blade of grass glow bright emerald, all tension slowly leaking away as he watches his cousin--who despite not being of his actual blood shares so much of his appearance--go through a wide variety of katas from all sorts of styles. "How many styles do you know anyway, cousin?" His question is a lazy one, those entrancing green eyes of his half-shut and sleepy.

"Every style that exists, Kurama," is the matter-of-fact reply. One thin red eyebrow goes up, those eyes no longer sleepy. "Of course, that doesn't mean I can actually use every style. Take the Anything-Goes Style of Contortionism. My body is simply never going to be that flexible: hell, sometimes I wonder if those practitioners even have bones."

"And how would you know so many?"

"In my line of work, my fair cousin, you'll come across anything you can think of, and exponentially more that you haven't." She flashes him a grin as she moves into another form. The other eyebrow goes up, and a lopsided grin stretches his lips.

"One of these days, Rei, you really are going to have to tell me what it is you do."

A warm chuckle. "Maybe someday, if you're unlucky."

"Don't you mean lucky?"

"Oh, no, Kurama. I most certainly mean _un_lucky!" And she pounces--literally--on him, and starts wrestling him with all the playfulness of her cursed form, effectively ending that conversation's thread.

A few breathless minutes later, the two are contentedly lying on the grass, head-to-head, just staring upwards at the slowly-clouding sky. "It must be irritating to not be able to use your full knowledge," Kurama murmurs, picking up the topic where they left off.

Rei lets out a somewhat miffed huff of air. "Sometimes, yes, but that's what the world is about, _Suichi_." She drawls his human name in a verbal poke. "Checks and balances, you know? Nothing in this world is allowed to be too powerful."

"And you base that theory off of what?" Kurama tilts his eyes back in her direction, smiling faintly.

"Well, like what I told you: I know every single technique and finishing move, pressure point, kamikaze action, weapons specialty, School, and kata in the entire world. And don't ask me how," she says, lifting a hand that he's in no position to see in an effort to forestall him, "because I honestly can't tell you that. But despite all my knowledge, I can only use a fraction of it. Youkai with human blood can't access all of the full-blooded abilities of either bloodline, but they can create new ones, that's another example."

"But the entire world?"

"The really mean nasty demons that's got Koenma-sama paranoid are capable of destroying everything, but they sleep sealed away at the bottom of Makai by their own choice until someone comes along who can give them a challenge. People learn more as they grow older, but their age is what prevents them from implementing a majority of it. Chaos has Order, Water has Fire, Earth has Air. Humans, with the exception of the ones who know about the other worlds, haven't met their check yet. Demons are _supposed_ to be humanity's counter, but the worlds are too divided for that to work anymore. Hiei can't use his abilities to his full extent because of the locks his heritage places on him, but the Jagan eye gives him others." She grins. "Which reminds me: are you going to sit in that tree all day, porcupine-head, or are you actually going to come down and enjoy what's left of the sunshine with us?"

Hiei gives her a mild glare from his perch in the tree. "I am perfectly comfortable, ningen girl, so leave me be."

"Still not happy that I won't give you any hint about those blank spots, desu ne?"

"Hn." Rei rolls her eyes.

"I can promise you that they probably won't be blank in about three months, Hiei. Does that make you feel any better?"

He gives her a more heated glare. "I do not need your patronizing, Kenobishi." A fanged grin.

"No, you prefer sulking."

"I said leave me be, you aggravating mortal wench!" He freezes, sensing he's gone a bit too far as Rei sits up and leans over Kurama.

"Do you mind?" she asks sweetly, and Kurama sighs.

"Don't hurt him too badly?"

"I'll try." And with that, she vanishes from sight. Hiei makes a startled sound as he is struck from behind, tumbling out of the tree with his ears ringing. Rei is hanging by her knees from the branch just above the one he had been stretched out on, one hand still curled in a fist.

Hiei merely lands hard on his feet and glares daggers at the girl who is glaring just as fiercely back. She flips forward and her feet somehow land precisely on Hiei's branch, the momentum moving her into a graceful backflip. Hiei makes another sound, this one a pained grunt, as Rei lands on his shoulders and stands there. "Get. Off."

"Not until you apologize."

"You started with the name-calling."

"I called you nothing I have not called you before. The 'wench' was entirely inappropriate." She grinds a heel into the muscle attached to his neck as an added admonishment.

Hiei snarls, sounding remarkably cat-like. "Then what should I call you, ningen girl?"

She makes a pleased sound. "Annoying pain-in-the-ass works just fine." Kurama, who had been watching this while propped up on an elbow, bursts out laughing.

"And it suits you so well," Hiei replies sarcastically, and Rei hops off his shoulders. "I thought you weren't going to get off until I apologized."

"I remembered getting you to apologize is harder than getting Kuwabara to stop being a baka. I didn't feel like standing there the whole afternoon." Rei tosses this barb with as much merriment as any of her other teasing remarks, and resumes her place by the once-again flat Kurama, lacing her hands behind her head and breathing a happy sigh. After a few moments of staring at the eccentric girl with wide maroon eyes, Hiei slowly walks over, drops into a cross-legged seat, waits a few more moments, stretches his legs out, and lays down. A little longer and he actually sighs, letting the tension that is his near-constant companion slowly release into the earth, tucking his arms behind his head and crossing his ankles, closing his eyes. Rei gives him her impish smile. "See? Doesn't that feel better?"

"Hn."

================================

I love putting Hiei in there. It's so much fun seeing how far I can get him to unbend. [Runs off, getting chased by Hiei]

Starling: You know, you get chased a lot. [Phone rings, Starling picks up] Moshimoshi? Oh, hi, Cass! [Looks over at readers] This is gonna take a while, sorry. Read and Review, people! We've only got 13 at the posting of this chapter! [walks off, chatting on the phone. Niana races past, still getting chased by Hiei.]

Why can't Kurama chase me for a change?? T.T


	12. Chapter 12

Eh-heh, gomenasai, everyone. A very nice reader pointed out I had the 'authors only' option engaged in my settings for reviews. ^,.,^! Many, MANY apologies. That's fixed now, so feel free to review. =^,.,^= 'Scuse me while I go bang my head on a wall.

Starling: You're hopeless, fox-girl. 

*Bang, bang, bang* Shut up, Starling. *Bang, bang, bang*

Chapter 12: A Dose of Rain

*************************

"Higher Ups, but I hate rain," mutters Rei as she works at her loom. Outside her workshop's window, clouds pour water in nearly solid sheets onto the pounded earth below. "It contaminates every single space I slide into." She is referring to the fact that despite her escape into this place, the rain has followed her from the regular world of Nerima. 

Lamps have been lit and are hung from the ceiling, water trapped between layers of glass to reflect the light into a greater range, sparkling off the Life Threads that are being woven on the Tapestry. For once, she has not bothered to change into her 'uniform', instead remaining in a comfortable pair of worn sweats that have faded from black to an odd grey. 

Rising from her loom, Rei walks to her spinning wheel and sits down, foot pressing the pedal and starting the wheel's motion. A pale, pale substance begins gathering around her hands, a mist that gets dragged into a skein by the wheel as it goes round and round, transformed into a thread of moonlight by the time it wraps around the spindle. "Nothing good ever happens in the rain," she murmurs absently as she works, letting the mist draw slowly from her fingers. "All that happens is misery."

Soon her restlessness increases, forcing Rei up and into a pace that takes her around the workroom's perimeter. Flame flickers in the lamps and shatters into strands of her hair, the rich color holding the light until it too, glows. Literally, as a turn of Rei's head flicks her hair out to one side, leaving a trail of golden motes to vanish into the air. Soon the young Fate has grown too edgy to remain in this small space, and she storms out of the pocket dimension, slamming her room door behind her before turning around and going back in, this time into her mortal bedroom. 

Moments later and she's out again, this time dressed in tight black jeans, black combat boots, a cherry red shirt with a low v-neck and long belled sleeves, and a swirling black hooded cape. Around her hips hangs a plate-link belt of polished silver, silver studs mark her boots, her jeans, her earlobes, and the collar around her neck. Her long hair is bound into a high unadorned ponytail, her lips are painted a bright red. Black leather bracers cover her shirt sleeves from wrist to nearly elbow, the silver-wire bracelet she's created a bright line on her left wrist. In short: she's gone assassin gothic. 

"Prowling!" she calls to her parents as she stalks out the front door of the Kenobishi's home, pulling her hood up in time to save her from a face full of rain. It's not as bad in the mortal realm as it is in the meadow of Rei's workroom, but it's trying pretty hard. With a cranky growl, Rei strides off into the gloom.

****

Pain. Excruciating, reassuring pain. Excruciating because it damn well bloody _hurts_, frag it! Reassuring because it says the heart still beats, the lungs still breathe, and the blood just keeps leaking. Crap. Gotta stop the bleeding. Don't think I've ever been this beaten up before. Don't think--there's a grand idea. Maybe it'll make the pain disappear. Ow. Perhaps not. 

Whimper. Why do they have to make these streets so _hard_? Every step jars my entire frame from soles of my feet to the crown of my head. But I've got to keep moving. Ow. Ow. Ow. Noise. Identify: cat. With bells. Chasing a girl that's shrieking in terror. Guess she doesn't like cats. Damn it, where's that new place she told me about? 

Bolt of pain! Then even more when my body hits the ground after the first bolt is recognized as my left leg finally giving out. Crap. That's…not good. Really not good. Attempt to get up: failure. Vision--what's left of it--going dark. Guess I'm not gonna see the new dojo after all. 

"Sorry…Rei."

****

The aforementioned protagonist is at this point sprinting down a strange street, cape streaming out behind her like wings, her whole body low to the ground as she dodges the odd pedestrian who was as foolhardy as she to brave the rain in the first place. No longer does she move as someone without a purpose, obviously, for she's locked on a familiar ki that is rapidly fading away. The silver thread around her wrist is pulsing faintly with the owner's vanishing ki, quickening Rei's pace until she's nearly flying. 

The wail of an ambulance is her first clue to her destination, and she quickly heads that way, splashing up huge puddles and leaving black footprints to mark her passing. The ambulance is quickly joined by several police sirens and the motor Rei recognizes as the van for Channel 27 news. Impossibly, she speeds up. 

She smells her target before she sees him since the rain is unable to completely wash away the scent of blood, and frankly, because there's a sizable crowd around him. "Threads of Life, pause your passage," she whispers, and flings one arm out, fingers splayed. Rainbow-colored threads materialize from her hand and the people's bodies, meeting in the middle and flashing. All mutterings and comments cease, chests do not rise in breath.

A single light leap takes her over the crowd and into its center, where a young man lies sprawled bleeding onto the asphalt. His face is a mass of cuts and bruises, and it is by the shock of bright green hair and tattered blue shirt that she recognizes him.

_Holy shit!_ Hiei hears all the way from Yusuke's district. _It's Kalerian!_

****

Mental ears still ringing from that dismayed shout, Hiei experiences the uncomfortable sensation of someone shouting directly into his head. _"Hiei! Oh, gods, Hiei!"_

"What, onna?!"

"Get my dad to set up the candle-ring in the dojo! I'm not telepathic like you, I can't reach him!"

"Why should I? And stop shouting, onna."

A savage snarl reverberates through his skull. _"Because if you don't then this boy will die!"_ With a flat-toned 'voice' Hiei contacts Mr. Kenobishi and then heads off to the dojo to satisfy the recently-increasing curiosity that's been plaguing him.

A few moments after he arrives, Rei comes flashing up with someone wrapped in her cloak, blood dripping through the heavy fabric and turning pink as it gets washed away in the pouring rain. Her father has already set up a circle of candlesticks with white beeswax candles on the dojo floor--there are no classes since few students care to brave this weather. With as gentle a touch as Hiei has ever seen, Rei sets her precious cargo down and unwraps the cape to reveal the most abused body he's ever seen, and that's saying quite a bit. 

A flash suddenly comes into his head, as if someone is holding a camcorder and running with it. The boy is lying in a growing puddle of blood, a crowd of people standing around him and glowing a faint rainbow. Arms enter his vision, covered in blood-red fabric and black leather, and quickly wrap the boy in a heavy black cape, scooping him up and sending Hiei's view into a dizzying flip, and a familiar sensation as buildings blur into swatches of color. Hiei blinks when he realizes this is a memory flash from Rei, and he gives her a mental nudge. 

Wide, startled green eyes meet his, and Hiei knows that Rei is by this point so stressed about the injured male that she is getting careless about her shielding. "Put your wards back up, fox-girl. I will not damage either of our honors by spying in your head now, despite how easy you are making it." Instantly those familiar iron-clad walls slam up around her mind and Hiei can no longer feel her thoughts brushing against his own shaken defenses.

"Thank you, Hiei, now take several large steps backwards. Your ki will be very distracting to the forces I'm about to unleash." Obligingly, he retreats to the far wall. Plenty of space, but he still wants to see what's going on. Rei stands above the boy, straddling his body, a foot on either side of his waist. 

Spreading her arms and hands until they are parallel with the wooden floor, Rei flips her hands so they are palm-up and whispers, "Alight," and jerks her hands upwards. The candles flare into life, their flames nearly cherry-red with the infusion of ki Rei is investing. Energy spirals around the circle's edge, drawing the flames into a solid ring that forms a barrier knee-high off of the floor. Rei herself is alight with her aura becoming visible and beginning to flare, the same color as the flames. A faint, flickering aura begins to glow in response around the still body of the boy, and Rei smiles in relief to see him still alive.

"Ultimate Ogawa Secret Healing Technique," she whispers into the silence broken only by rushing flames, "Ring of Cleansing Flames." Hiei shields his face as the fire explodes and fills the room with a warm ruby glow. He can almost feel tiny hands tugging at his hair and he lowers his arm to find two pixie-like females looking at him with obvious interest. The koorime is fascinated, reaching out to touch the little flame-elementals--the first he's seen in a long time. A sharp tug in the energy and the two giggle and dart back to the center of the room where a swarm of their companions has already surrounded the still boy. 

The blood that had been soaking into the floor's planks begins to foam, very like what happens when your pour hydrogen peroxide on a cut. The faint blue-green aura surrounding the boy shrinks a bit, then slowly begins pulsing with its source's heartbeat, growing outwards with every pulse until it fills the room as much as the red energy, forming a warm amber brown color that shifts and throbs with every breath and heartbeat. 

Just before the pressure--as though the room is a balloon being inflated--reaches a point where Hiei is prepared to either flee or collapse under the intangible weight, it bleeds away into the two standing in the center of a circle of melted wax. Maroon eyes widen at the sight of a whole and very 'bishie' (Rei had giving him a lecture once on what defined a 'bishie') young man curled on his side with long green hair tumbling around his face and spreading across the floor in a silky puddle. Completely uninjured. Hiei is astounded--he's never seen anyone survive such extensive damage, let alone seen someone heal it without so much as a single scar.

No, the fire-apparition notices after a moment of careful study; the kid has one scar in the shape of a stylized feather on his right bicep, the one he isn't lying on. It almost looks like it was branded there. Expressionless he looks up at the girl still standing over her charge, dripping with sweat and trembling heavily.

"Thank…goodness," she manages before her knees buckle and Hiei leaps forward as she plunges into darkness.

****

Okay, I'm not hurting. That's either a really good sign or a really bad one, 'cause I'm either fixed up or dead. Please, let it be the first option. Sounds, identify: breathing, sleep pattern. No threat. Sound of a blade rattling in its sheath. Possible, most likely a threat. Do they allow swords in the Other World?

"Hn. Stop pretending you're asleep, ningen boy. Your shielding is terrible."

Open the eyes, wait for focus. First thing to register: sheets, blankets, really, really comfy mattress. Earth tones, warm. Interesting, good sign. Hot damn, I may still be alive after all!

"Of course you're still alive, baka ningen. My companion refused to allow you a glimpse of Koenma's realm." Locate source of voice: located. Boy in chair against wall, tipped back. Possible chance of disarming available if I can crack one of the two legs balancing the rest of the chair and the boy. Scornful maroon eyes assessing me. Hn. Interesting.

"Are you just going to keep chattering to yourself or are you actually going to employ the shields I can sense? You're shouting in my head, fool." Chair goes clunk as he lets the two other chair legs hit the floor. "And I am not so foolish as to allow you such an opportunity." Oopsie. Shields up, and the boy gives me another 'Hn.' "Much better." He rises, I blink.

"So, hey, where am I?" The kid pins me with a flat stare before leaving without a word. Shrug. Scanning the room. Huh, the stuff here kinda looks familiar…Alert! Ow, crap!

****

A low groan wakes Rei from a nicely dreamless, deep sleep, and she opens her eyes to find herself lying on her bed, with a cot set up beside her and someone sitting up holding his head. "Kalerian!" She half-leaps from her bed and glomps onto him, and the boy groans again, face contorting in pain.

"Ah, easy on the ribs, Rei! Just got 'em back from the shop, yanno?" She pulls back, contrite.

"Sorry, I should have known better. How are you feeling?"

"Alive. That's about as good as it gets, little fox." A much gentler hug from the wine-haired girl, and a relieved sigh.

"You had me so worried, 'Rian. I thought for sure I was going to lose you. I nearly did."

Kalerian pulls back a bit and gives her a merry smile. "Soul-twin, you can't lose me so easily. I'm much, much more stubborn than to let a few would-be fatal injuries keep me down long." He glances down at his intact body and smiles more calmly. "You're the one who put me back together, right? Healing techniques always sap your energy more than anything else."

Rei nods, swinging her legs over the edge of the cot and carefully standing. "Yes, I did. Nothing short of the Ring would have done it."

Kalerian whistles softly before attempting to stand himself. "That's a doozy, vixen. No wonder you were laid out." He manages to stand, and hastily grabs her shoulder as the world threatens to yank the ground out from under him. Rei quickly steadies him before helping him sit back down.

"Easy, 'Rian. Your body may be healed, but it needs time to register that and act accordingly, as do your own ki reserves. Mine've always recharged faster, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that part." The sky-eyed boy stretches himself back out on the cot and sighs resignedly. "So when do I get to see the dojo you told me about?"

Rei smiles at him. "As soon as you can walk without the world tilting." Her face turns more serious. "Kalerian, who did this to you? What did this to you?"

A grimace. "Some weird bird-guy. He looked human mostly, but he had wings and claws. I'd say he was at least thirty or forty years old. I gave as good as I got, though."

"Good for you," Rei says softly as he drops into sleep. She waits until his breathing smoothes out into a sleep-pattern before letting every last trace of false cheerfulness fall away. Had Hiei still been in the room, he would have heard her murmur worriedly, "They've started early."

************

Whee, a cliffie! I love doing those!

Starling: you really DO have a death-wish, doncha, Niana?

Only a little one. I just wish someone could at least give me a link to the Saffron chapters. This new character was essentially a stall that turned into a way to give Saffron's people an entrance.

Now for my reviewers!

****

RedCat: I can't tell you if they find out, cause that'd give away part of the story. And why not let heads roll? They're fun to bat around. As long as it's not mine, that is, cause then you'd never get the end of the story.

Starling: Macabre sense of humor you've got there, Niana.

I know, isn't it great? ^,.,^

****

Slade3: As much as I appreciate the effort you put into the reviews, bro, you don't need to review every single chapter when I upload a chunk. *hug* but thanks for the reviews. And yes, I do occasionally put in holes that I fill in later.

To everyone else: Read and Review, people! ^,.,^


	13. Chapter 13

Stalling…stalling…stalling…*gets smacked by Starling* 

Starling: Stop with the stalling! You've got an idea you can use, so use it!

But it doesn't really involve Saffron!

Starling: Big whoop. Set up some suspense for your readers and explain who that bishie-boy Kalerian is.

Okay, fine, have it your way.

Starling: That's better.

_-_

Chapter 13: What does a cat never give? (A cookie if anyone can answer the riddle correctly!)

*************

The small bell hanging over the door of the Cat Café chimes as the door is opened and Rei walks in. Her expression does not match the bell's bright sound. Cologne herself pogos up on her staff, since there is only one or two customers sitting at the tables and counter. It is the day after the torrential rainstorms, and the weather seems to be making up for it with one of the most perfect days they've had this year. 

"What's the matter, Rei? You look like someone just told you Jusenkyo's been destroyed." Rei gives her a weak smile and sits down at the table nearest the door, propping her chin in one hand and regarding the Amazon Elder with utter seriousness. 

"It may be that bad, Elder. Something has happened that was not supposed to happen for another two and a half months, and it worries me."

Since Rei's shift does not start for at least another few minutes, Cologne takes a perch on the sturdy table and gives Rei her full attention. "What is it, child?"

"One of my friends came close to being slain by a tribesman of Saffron." Cologne manages to resume her composure reasonably fast and manages to avoid letting her jaw drop.

"And this was _supposed to happen_?" 

"Much as it pains me to say, yes. What scares me is that he was not intended to sustain the injuries for quite a long time, and since the timing was off, it concerned me greatly that his survival might no longer be assured. Thankfully," she sighs, "he did survive, even if I did nearly kill myself putting him back together."

"How did you do it, if I may be so bold in asking?"

"Have you heard of a man named Yuki Ogawa?

"Yes. He _is_ one of the most respected healers that uses ki, after all. Even in the tribe of the Amazons, which gives you a measure of his skill." A mirthless laugh from Rei.

"I know his abilities, Elder Cologne! I trained under him for five years. The technique I used to put my friend back together yesterday is his greatest technique, called the Ring of Cleansing. In my case, my ki effectively burns away the injuries."

"I take it there are other methods."

"Three. One for each student that studies with me under him. Kalerian--my friend--is another of his students. He's the aspect of Water. We call him Mizu for short." Cologne nods to show her understanding, and Rei continues. "Anyway, like I said, it's the fact he's been attacked and branded so soon that seriously worries me."

"Yes, you've said that three times. Except for the branding part."

"He wasn't supposed to be branded _at all_. He'll carry that mark for the rest of his life, and if any of the Phoenix tribe finds him again, he'll be taken as a slave." Anger burns in Rei's eyes as she says this, and it is obvious that she is using quite a bit of self-control to not start breaking something. "That man will pay for this, I can assure Mizu of that."

"Well, you can work some of that anger out cleaning tables since your shift's about to start." Rei sighs and rises to her feet, inclining her head to the small woman. 

"Yes, Obaa-san," she replies in a somewhat more normal voice, and goes into the kitchen for a damp cloth.

****

Meanwhile, the boy in question is busy getting his muscles to remember how to work properly. He's balanced on a pole in Rei's mini Jusenkyo replica, wearing a spare gi of pale blue left behind from a visiting dojo. Of course, what's really unusual is that he's balanced in a handstand on one finger and he's doing the splits. Hiei, requested by Rei to keep an eye on her fellow student, is actually impressed that a ningen boy who was at Death's door last night could recover so quickly--even considering Rei's not-insignificant healing abilities. Of course, Kalerian is apparently unaware of Hiei's presence, since the koorime is sitting in a tree across the yard with his ki firmly muffled. One must keep in practice. 

Eventually he gets bored of watching this stranger exercising and decides to amuse himself by trying to get some answers out of Rei's friend. He darts over and stands calmly on the pole directly behind this 'Kalerian', waiting for him to notice his presence. 

When Kalerian does, his reaction is all Hiei could wish for in his mildly-vindictive heart. The stranger (to Hiei) finally gets out of his finger-stand and flips into a Crane-like stance that is identical to the one Ranma once used when the unlucky teenager made his visit to the real Jusenkyo. And ends up face to face (well, almost--Hiei _is_ pretty short) with the spiky haired young man. With a startled, undignified squawk of surprise, Kalerian loses his balance and tumbles back into the pool directly below. Hiei merely waits until the boy surfaces and coughs up a lungful of water before saying in the toneless voice he's perfected, "I'm sorry. Did I startle you?"

The blue-eyed boy glares as he climbs out of the pool and takes off his shirt to wring it out. "As a matter of fact, yes! Was there a friggin' point to that??"

"No. Now if you don't mind there are some questions I want you to answer."

"Gimme a good reason." His eyes widen as the fact that a sword's tip is ju-ust brushing his Adam's apple actually registers, and he works out just how fast Hiei is by that one movement.

"I take it this will be reason enough."

Kalerian simply moves back and put a finger to his throat, looking relieved when it comes away as clean as it was when he put it there. "Do that again, and you're going to be needing a blacksmith." So, naturally, Hiei does it again, but the ending is much different.

When the katana and Hiei's arm are fully extended, Kalerian merely grabs the blade with a hand covered in his ki and hits the back of the blade with the side of his other fist. With a metallic 'snap' the blade breaks in half, and Kalerian simply tosses the piece in his hand over his shoulder, listening to it hit the water with a loud splash. Hiei looks mildly impressed, and rather displeased that his weapon is ruined.

"You're going to have to ask more nicely if you want to get answers," Kalerian tells him, flexing the hand that had struck the sword, "Or, you know," he suggests impishly, "you could always stand there like a statue and glare at me and get nothing."

Hiei merely blinks at him impassively before sheathing what remains of his sword. "You and Rei act very much alike."

"I've been around her almost constantly for the past five years," Kalerian says with a broad grin, hands his gi's pockets and cocking hip and shoulder. "She tends to rub off within the first few months." He holds up his wet gi top and whistles sharply; all of the water remaining squeegees itself out of the fabric, starting from the top and working down until it is bone dry. He whistles again and the process repeats itself with his pants, and then the strange boy goes and sits on a bench. "So. What do you want to know?"

"What is Rei?" This, for some reason, had been the question itching in the back of Hiei's skull for several days now.

"Wow, you sure don't start off with the easy ones, do ya?" Nevertheless, Kalerian gets himself comfortable and begins.

"Rei is a mystery overall, frankly, but I can tell you about a couple of her facets. I'm sure you know about her healing expertise?" A nod from the koorime. "Yeah, well, she got _that_ training with me and two others under the greatest healer-by-ki in the world, a man named Yuki Ogawa. And like I said, we spent five years together, studying individual styles within his 'school' of martial arts. Rei's Fire, I'm Water. We tend to spark off each other, but we also provide a dampening force, that kind of thing. 

Rei's also the best damned weaver I know. She can take rough wool yarn and turn it into a plushy wool cloak with as much effort as it would take for you to kill someone, I'd wager." A bland expression in those garnet eyes, and Kalerian chuckles. "She's also a damned good judge of character, so I'll have to take that judgement at face value and consider you a possible ally, despite your earlier transgressions."

"Hn. Continue." 

"She's fortune teller, a really, really good one, and she's as loyal as all hell to people she cares about. She's a good friend. Beyond that, can't tell you much else. Rei, she's got a cat's love of secrets, she does."

"I'd noticed," is the sour comment, and the fire apparition is rewarded for it with a cheery smile.

"Yeah, we all want to give her a good shake and tell her to spill, but she's hard to catch as her element. And if you don't treat her right, she'll burn ya just as quick."

Hiei winces at the memory of a few choice thwacks and verbal barbs she'd given him when he'd _seriously_ stepped over the line the first time he'd met her, when he'd basically somehow managed to insult her intelligence, her gender, and her skills all at once. He still wasn't sure why that particular comment had escaped from his mouth--it certainly wasn't anything he'd say under normal circumstances. But the result of it had stung for several hours for the physical, and several _days_ for the verbal. In fact, a couple _still_ smarted.

Their conversation is cut short by a cheery call from the gate, and Rei comes striding up. "Hey, guys! Playing nicely?"

"By whose standards?" This is from Kalerian, still stretched out on the bench.

"Mine."

"Pretty nicely, then. I only broke one of his toys and he's only threatened me once or twice. Why're you back so soon? Thought you had work."

Rei nods and flicks her long braid back. "I do. I just forgot something and had to come back and get it."

"Like what?"

"Nothing you need to be worried about," is the evasive reply. Rei ducks into the house and comes back out a few minutes later, carrying her small backpack and a pair of sunglasses. "Later! And play nice!"

"Bai-bai!" Kalerian calls teasingly. "See you later, Spider!"

"Bye, Mizu-Koneko!"

"Neko, at least! Enough with the 'ko'!" Laughter merely drifts back as Rei takes off down the road. "She's also a pain in the ass," the green-haired boy adds as an afterthought to the koorime, who fervently agrees, if silently. 

****

_Later that night…_

"So. None of them know about any of us, do they?"

"Nothing that needs meddling with. They can know about the surface. It's the depths we don't want them exploring. Keep your shields up."

"_He_ might know something. I was leaking when I first woke up."

"Already checked, and he doesn't. Which is good. Poor guy's got enough blanks as it is without them being added to."

"Bet that rubs." 

"Does. Are the others coming?"

A chuckle. "Don't you know? You're supposed to know everything."

"Your bailiwick's been messed with, too, you know. This isn't a laughing matter. Everything's been altered, sped up, and that might not give us enough time."

"That's why you're training the girl, isn't it? So if she gets taken, she'll be able to put up a fight long enough to delay them?"

"Right. But keep your shields and your mouth closed, chatterbox. You told _him_ enough this afternoon."

"Nothing that will cause us trouble."

"Tell _that_ to Falcon and Horse."

*******

Starling: Okay, I'm stumped. What's Kalerian got to do with this?

Niana: You're the one who wanted him in there. You figure it out.

Starling: Meanie. Playing off my addiction to bishies--oops. Did I just say that out loud? . =O.O= .

Niana: Nyah. Serves you right, pushy wolf. Anyway, please read and review, and thank you to my loyal r&r's. Sorry this chappie's so short, I'm kinda dry on ideas at the moment.


	14. Chapter 14

Mwahaha!

Starling: What are you laughing about?

My hair's short.

Starling: So?

So? Seventeen inches gone is nothing to sneeze at, thank you! Besides--

Starling: There had to be another reason.

--I've decided to lengthen the chapters. The equivalent of three pages each is a bit too choppy. Now if only I can get more people to review. Got plenty of readers (I think) but I've only had three new people give me input. It's depressing.

Starling: [looks up from a video game] Huh? I'm sorry, did you say something?

T.T I'm just gonna start the chapter now.

Starling: You do that.

Chapter fourteen: New Arrivals.

=========

Rei wakes up to a day that can't seem to decide on cloudy or sunny, to the sounds of shouting beyond the perimeter wall. "I don't care! You've gotten us lost again, you idiot! Now gimme that damn map!"

"And have you lose it, gusts-for-brains?? As if! Now shut up and let me get my bearings!"

"Idiot!"

"Airhead!"

"Clod!"

"Shut up!" Rei snarls, leaning out her window. "Good gods, it's seven thirty in the fardling morning! Don't you two ever stop?!"

"See? I told you I'd find the right building!"

"You did not!"

"I did too!" Rei simply hisses angrily and gestures. Instant silence drops onto the street, apart from the sounds of several neighbors cheering briefly. Two put-out faces pop over the wall, followed by two lithe bodies dressed in grays and browns, respectively. The girl, rather pretty with silvery eyes, glares up at the miffed red-head and holds up a sign.

Yanno, ya really gotta stop with this Silence trick o' yours. A second sign appears beside the first, held by the boy with amber-colored eyes, with several agreeing words on it.

"Fine, then," Rei says loudly enough to reach the two, but not loud enough to disturb the neighbors. "But one more shout out of either of you until a decent hour and you won't be talking for a week." Another gesture and the boy works his jaw, a low, unhappy canine growl leaking from his throat.

"I hate it when you do that," the boy grumbles, taking the opportunity to leap to Rei's windowsill with practiced ease before dropping lightly into her room. "Always makes my throat itch."

"Stop grumbling, Horse. It never does any good against Fox." The girl has followed her companion's lead and perches on the sill in a crouch. "Good morning, Rei. Might I suggest a clearer map next time? Or possibly duplicates, so I can correct this rock-head when needed?"

"Why you--" Horse begins, but hastily silences himself at a glare from both girls. Rei merely shakes her head and sighs.

"We should be having Koi up here in a minute, what with all your noise--"

"I heard shouting," a yawning Kalerian says, taking his cue and wandering through Rei's open bedroom door. "Are Horse and Falcon here?"

"Morning, Koi. Sleep well?"

"Was, until your shouting woke me up. Why'd you always gotta do that?"

"It's Horse's fault."

"Is not." Two glares, one irritably awake and the other sleepily glazed, silence them before another circular argument can begin.

"Geez, Fox and I get along better than this, and we're opposing elements, too."

"She's too flighty."

"He's too slow."

"You've got too much energy." This from Kalerian to Rei.

"You're lazy." Rei to Kalerian. All four glare at each other for a moment longer, then burst out laughing and share a quick round of hugs. Chattering quietly but with enthusiasm, the four friends and one-time healer-students make their way downstairs, where Mrs. Kenobishi is already up and in the middle of making enough breakfast for four hungry teenagers.

"I don't know how you do it, Mrs. K," Horse manages during breakfast with his mouth full of pancakes. "You don't have Rei's fortune-telling trick, but you always manage to feed us without breaking a sweat."

"Mother's intuition, dear," Mrs. Kenobishi replies cheerfully. "And don't talk with your mouth full, Masaya. It's rude." A meek "yes'm."

"Going to school today, Fox?" Falcon questions, and Rei pauses with her fork halfway to her mouth.

"Yeah. Got a presentation I'm supposed to do with a couple of classmates for Lit."

Mr. Kenobishi grins. "And don't think of wheedling her to cut, Kohaku. She's not sick, so she's going." A group 'aww'. "Don't 'aw' me, kids. And Rei, you'd better get moving. You've got class in ten minutes."

"Yeek!" And Rei bolts up the stairs. We hear a door slam, the sounds of rummaging, and the door bursting open and Rei sprinting past in her uniform, grabbing the bento her mother holds out as she dashes by. "ByeeveryoneI'llseeyoulaterdon'tgetintoanytrouble!"

And she's gone. Kohaku (Falcon) turns to Kalerian and sighs, "One of these days she's really going to have to teach me how to move that fast."

====

"Hey, Akane," Rei says breathlessly as she flops down into her desk chair. "Am I late?" The bell goes off, and Rei slumps over her desk table. "Thank you, Higher Ups."

"Did you oversleep again?" the short-haired girl asks sympathetically, and her friend shakes her head.

"Nah. Couple of old friends dropped by this morning, got me sidetracked." The conversation stops when the teacher, Mr. Togashi, walks in.

"All right, kids, get your butts into your chairs and zip those lips!" he says cheerfully, and all the students comply willingly--they like this teacher. "Little late in the school year, I'll admit, but we've got a set of new students! So try not to chew on them too much, okay?" A smattering of laughter, and Rei sits up ramrod straight, narrowing those emerald eyes. This was not in her weavings… "Kids, you want to come in, or are you gonna stand in the hallway all day?"

Laughing, three teenagers troop in. One is a young man with brilliant sea-green hair tied in a messy ponytail to his hips and sky-blue eyes. One is a boy with dark-blond hair cut into a shaggy mop around his shoulders and warm amber eyes. The third is a girl with nearly white hair and silvery eyes, with two black streaks in her hair running from her temples. Rei pins them all with a general glare and they just grin and wink at her.

"Boys and girls, meet Kalerian Sohma (A/N no, not THOSE Sohmas), Masaya Ichigaki, and Kohaku Kudo. Give them a nice welcome, hey?" A merry, if somewhat sleepy cheer rises from the collected students, and Ranma can be seen studying the three newbies with interest. All of them carry themselves like _fighters_, and the support bandages wrapped in strategic places are a pretty strong hint, too. "Okay, quiet down," Mr. Togashi says laughingly. "Kids, why don't you take seats next to…hm…the red-head glaring at you. Rei, be nice. It's early."

"Yes, Mr. Togashi," Rei sighs, rolling her eyes but throttling her temper. Her three friends simply grin their own 'cat-got-the-canary' smiles and take seats around Rei and Akane, who looks at them in curiosity. "Gonna die, you three," Rei whispers to them as the lecture begins. "Not a damn word to me about this??"

"Sorry," Kalerian whispers back. "Master Yuki made us promise we'd keep our mouths shut."

"The look on your face, though--!" Masaya snickers quietly, and all three jerk to attention at the clearing of the teacher's throat.

"Miss Kenobishi, Misters Sohma and Ichigaki, do you have anything to add to this lecture?"

"No, sir," all three chorus obediently, and the teacher nods.

"Then please, continue your conversation _after_ class."

====

"Run!" Kalerian tells Masaya and Kohaku as the bell rings, and the three take off running with Rei chasing after them, brandishing a slender rod that resembles the cliché witches' wand but without all the interesting-colored sparks flying from it.

"How dare you not tell me one word--!" Akane and Ranma merely watch the three new students flee from the cheerful/angry/playful girl pursuing them with every intent on wreaking bodily harm.

"Scatter!" Kohaku cries as they pass the door; Kalerian goes left, Masaya goes right, and Kohaku goes straight out the open hallway window. Rei simply gestures, and suddenly all three are yanked back, wrapped from shoulder to waist with rope. Sweatdrops hang from any observing students' heads as they watch Rei stroll off, whistling a barely recognizable version of Vampire Hunter 'D's opening theme song, dragging the three behind her, all with anime-style tears running down their faces.

By the time class resumes all four are sitting in their seats, Rei with a smug smile, the others with several bandages and bruises giving them a rather battered look. "I hate you sometimes, you know that, right?" Kalerian whimpers as he uses a bandaged hand to write English verbs down. "You're just so…abusive."

"'S what you get for keeping secrets."

"I don't even want to know why you didn't see this coming."

"Quiet, you two!" the teacher snaps, "Before I make you stand in the hall."

"Yes'm!"

====

All right, this was getting frustrating. In one day, Hiei has gone from knowing one person with absolute shielding, to four whose minds he cannot even poke at. The sub-conscious sting he received the first time from the girl called 'Kohaku' has told him that much, since after all Hiei does not enjoy getting pain as much as he likes dealing it to his enemies.

And then there's the annoying--all right, extremely aggravating--little voice in the back of his head that keeps suggesting 'if the Jagan doesn't work, why not just use your real eyes?'. He's about ready to rip his skull apart just to find that voice and pound it to dust.

"I'm telling you, Fox, you really need to cut down on the violence," a young male voice chides from below. Startled, the koorime finds Rei and her group of three walking directly under his branch. Wait, this wasn't the tree he was in a moment ago. What is going _on_?

"Sorry, Koi, but you know I don't like most surprises. They tend to be things that bite me from behind." Rei shakes her head firmly, sending that curtain of crimson silk sliding over her shoulders. "Besides, you should be glad I didn't sic Taro on you."

"You wouldn't!" groans Kohaku is dismay, and is rewarded with a chuckle.

"Well, maybe not now. But earlier I might have."

"Must suck to have your guy a continent and an ocean away," Masaya says quietly, and Hiei, wondering why the conversation hasn't faded in the least in his hearing, finds his body moving on its own, with no help from the one who is supposed to be in control.

"Ye-es!" whines Rei, slumping her shoulders and bowing her head. "It seriously bites! And he promised he'd visit soon, too, damn him!"

"Heckuva way to say hello," someone says warmly from behind the group. Rei squeaks and whirls, jumping into the arms of the young man who walks up. The other three youngsters grin as Rei purrs happily and gives the impression of wrapping herself around Taro without actually doing so. Hiei is currently trying with all of his might to get his legs to stop moving!

"Hey, Taro. 'S up?" Masaya reaches out a hand and Taro frees one of his own, clasping the other boy's wrist in a friendly gesture.

"Hey, Horse. Not much. You?"

"Nada. Hey, change of subject, but does anyone get the feeling we ain't exactly by ourselves, if ya know what I mean?"

"There's an unfamiliar ki about ten feet above us," Kohaku replies, pointing. Rei cranes her neck back and spots Hiei, who by now is covered in sweat from the strain of trying vainly to regain control. She blinks.

"Eh? Hiei? What're you doing up there? And what's wrong? You look like someone's been giving you the workout of your life."

Hiei finds that even his jaw no longer obeys him, though his mind and his mental abilities still do. _"Something has me in its control. I have no say in where my body goes, and it's following _you_."_ A flash of anger brightens Rei's eyes for a moment, before a mask settles over her face. She unwinds herself from Taro and walks until she's standing directly below the koorime, who looks down at her with fear and hope warring in wide wine-colored eyes.

"Can you break free?"

_"No."_

"Want us to help?"

A blow to his pride, another bead on the irking chain of his stumbles. _"Yes."_

"You have to trust us utterly, Hiei."

_"I trust no one utterly, ningen girl."_

"Then trust us in that your body and mind will come to no harm?" There is pleading in those tilted green eyes.

_"That I can do."_ A hand, the one bearing the silver strand of wire, lifts and twists something shining a purple so dark as to be nearly black, and darkness falls over Hiei's consciousness. The last thing he hears as he feels his body tumbling into gentle arms is a warm voice saying only, "Sleep."

====

Rei catches the limp body of Hiei as he falls from his branch, cradling him protectively as she whispers "Sleep" to him, using his Thread as a medium to bypass whatever force has taken control of his body. Taro steps forward, concerned, and Rei shakes her head. "I'm sorry, dearheart, but this is something we four must do alone. Can you meet me at the movie theater in…an hour, you think?" She looks over at the other three, who are regarding the fire apparition in her arms with intense concentration.

"Hour should be plenty of time," Kalerian replies absently. Taro does not look happy about it, but he gives Rei a kiss on the cheek and walks off, radiating displeasure about the whole thing. Rei looks over at Masaya.

"Horse? You're the only one who's got this trick. Mind obliging?"

"If it frees your friend the faster, your wish is my command, Fox," the brown-haired boy replies solemnly, placing his hand over his heart and half-bowing. The group gathers close together, Masaya placing that hand on Rei's shoulder and the other around Falcon's waist, Kalerian placing his own hand on his friend's shoulder. The four look around for any observers, and Kalerian nods. In an eyeblink the four vanish from view.

The camera follows them to where they reappear just outside Rei's room, rather crowded in the somewhat narrow hallway. Rei heaves a silent sigh when there is no indication that her parents heard the slight thump, and carefully transfers Hiei into Kalerian's arms. The green-haired boy is more familiar to the koorime, and if he suddenly somehow awakens, Kalerian would get off the lightest in terms of damage. With silence their watchword, the other three wait for Rei to unseal her workshop, and slip inside.

"I'll take him back, Mizu," Rei murmurs, and cradles Hiei in caring arms as she shoves a previously hidden door open with a foot and walks outside into the sun-drenched meadow.

"Hey, Weaver," Kohaku says suddenly, "think you can manage this? What if it's Meddler?"

"Then Meddler is severely screwed, since he has gone outside the laws dictated by the Higher Ups," Rei says sternly. "He's not allowed to have a mortal body, especially not one he steals. You should know that perfectly well, Feathers."

A lopsided grin. "Yeah, I know. Just testing you." Rei finds the spot she wants and sets Hiei down, the slender male half-disappearing in the lush grasses, his pale skin a surprising contrast to the fresh greens of the plants.

"Brother Chronos, Wave-walker, Master of the Seas and all things water, I ask thy aid in this," Rei says softly in an archaic tongue, suddenly garbed in the full regalia of Fate--the green dress/robe, the crystals, the ornaments. Silvery threads, like the one still wrapped 'round her wrist, twist between her fingers and across the backs of her hands and palms and crisscross up her arms.

Kalerian steps forward, his clothes fogging into a pair of rough open sandals, loose navy blue cotton pants, and a ragged but equally loose pale blue shirt that hangs off one shoulder. He bows to Rei over Hiei's unconscious body, his shirt rippling and revealing that it is not just one single shade of blue, nor are his pants.

"Lady Fate, I give it willingly to thee."

"Brother Spirit, World-walker, Master of the Mountains and all things growing, I ask thy aid in this."

Masaya steps forward, dressed in worn leather boots, and clothing identical to Kalerian's, save that it is green where his friend's is blue, and the shirt hangs off the other shoulder. "Lady Fate, I give it willingly to thee," he echoes, bowing regally. Rei turns to Kohaku, already garbed in her Office's uniform: charcoal ankle-boots nearly hidden by the swirling medium-grey skirt of a light silk dress confined by a sky-blue bodice.

"Sister Life, Queen of all things airborne, I ask thy aid in this."

"Sister Fate, Spinner of Destinies, Queen of all things heat and fire, I give my aid willingly to thee." In perfect synchronization the four gather around the black-clad fire apparition at the cardinal points of the compass, as old pagan witchlore dictated, and place one hand each into the circle's center.

A dark, dark purple Thread, laced with lighter bits of scarlets, paler violets, scraps of blue and a tiny touch of gold, materializes above their hands and binds itself into a loop, beginning to spin while in midair. "Thread of Life your masters heed," the four chant as their auras begin to glow, limning their bodies with their respective colors, "Follow now your maker's creed. All that's wrong within your grip, shake it free--do not rip. All that's right you'll safely keep, within your pathway cutting deep." Those aura colors are taken up in four thin strands by the whirling circle until it burns with that moonlight hue, and then the color explodes outward. A body goes tumbling in the grass, grunting and wincing as stones seem to reach up to bruise.

The chanting ceases, the auras vanish, and the apparition that was possessing Hiei's body looks up to find four very pissed martial-artists giving him the Ultimate Death Glare. "So. Just a piddling little scrap of existence?" Masaya asks Rei, who nods. "Good. So can we kill him now?"

"With pleasure." The meadow echoes for a long moment with a single, long shriek.

Pacing by the designated movie theater, Taro looks up to find Rei prancing towards him in a cute tank top with a chibi fox on it saying 'Mischief is Me!', a pair of cropped jeans shorts, and a pair of white tennis shoes. Grinning in spite of himself, he twirls her in a hug and gives her a quick kiss. "What's got you in such a good mood, eh?"

"You mean besides you being here?" A chuckle. "That's enough, right?" Taro nods, never noticing the drop of blood Rei wipes off on the back of her shorts. "Come on, let's go see a movie!"

========================

[Falls over with streak-tears] Nada? Zip? Zilch? All this work, for a total of four/five different reviewers?

Starling: Be glad for the ones you have, dearie.

[Sniff] Maybe it's the summary? I've already changed it, maybe that'll work. [Mutters in a corner]

Starling: Why don't you go play 'Legends of Mana' for a while? It'll make you feel better.

Whacking the bejeezus out of some bosses? Yeah, that does sound good. Read and Review, thankies!


	15. Chapter 15

Yay! Review!

****

Alex Ultra: 'Kohaku' is the Japanese word for 'amber' as well as the name of a favorite character in Clamp's manga, 'Wish'. My personal fav: Koryu! His name means garnet and he's a devil. .

Starling: Big whoop. You also like those dratted cat familiars of his, too.

Yep. Ruri and Hari! The cutest little cat familiars in Hell!

****

Pryde Kitty: W00T! New Reviewer! Thank you so much for your support! And yes, I am working on those short chapters. Perchance, your name wouldn't happen to be inspired by X-Men's Shadowcat, would it?

Yanno, I just noticed something? I don't think I've ever put the time of year in here at all, let alone the exact date. So, let me fix that. At the start of this fanfic, the date was Monday, May 16th, and since I don't know when Ranma 1/2 is actually set, the year is 2004. Rah.

Chapter 15: Dance of Destiny

=======================

Hiei's head hurts. A lot. At this point, he's somewhere between 'standing next to rock concert's bass speakers' and Armageddon. The rest of him doesn't feel too great, either, especially when someone starts talking. The spiky-haired boy just keeps his eyes squeezed shut, thinking that death just might be better than this.

"Ow, geez, someone get a shield on this guy. He's broadcasting something fierce!" A faint sensation through the dull throbbing, like a feather getting drawn over bare skin. The owner of the voice sighs with relief as another voice snaps at the first.

"What do you expect, numbskull?? He's just gotten exorcised! Anybody's shields would be crap after that!"

"Don't yell, Kohaku," a third voice begs. "My head's ringin' all on its own."

"Gomen, 'Rian. How's your energy levels?"

The sound of movement, and a cool hand is placed on Hiei's forehead, above the exposed but tightly shut Jagan Eye. "Better," says the third voice. "It'll be much better when none of us are feeling pain."

"That's right, I keep forgetting," the first voice rumbles, the sound grating against Hiei's bones like a file. "You're an empath."

"Yeah. And trust me, right now it sucks." A cool rush of energy washes over burn-sensitive skin and muscles, soothing away the pain a little at a time. "Heh, bet that feels better, ne, Hiei?"

Said fire apparition can finally think and matches those voices with faces, so yes. First voice is the boy named Masaya, the second is the girl Kohaku, and the one with his hand on Hiei's forehead is Kalerian. Slanted maroon eyes open and focus on the smiling aqua-haired boy.

"Where--?"

"You're at Rei's place. In her bed, to be specific. And to answer your next question, it was a rather devious apparition that had merged himself with your body. Sorry to disappoint you, but us four already finished him off."

"Hn." Hiei grunts as he levels himself into a sitting position and looks around. Slumped against the wall that has the closet door is Masaya, Kohaku is leaning heavily against the wall next to the window.

"Funny, from the way Rei described you, I thought you'd be taller," says the silver-eyed girl, and is pinned with a glare from Hiei.

"Do not underestimate me, onna. I am not so weak as I look."

Masaya rubs his forehead and sighs. "Actually, yes you are, at least for the moment. That exorcism thrashed all of us, though Higher Ups only knows where Rei got the energy to go meet with Taro."

"Ugh, you mean she actually _ran_?" Kohaku groans, and shudders. "No, thanks! I'll be lucky to get downstairs!"

"Kids!" Mrs. Kenobishi calls from downstairs. "Is Rei up there with you?"

"No, ma'am," Kalerian calls back. "She went out not more than ten minutes ago."

"Are you sure?" the adult woman sounds mildly upset. "She's got a class to teach today."

"We can do it!" both Masaya and Kohaku tell her at the same time. "As soon as I can get my legs to cooperate," Masaya mutters to himself.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes'm!"

"Wonderful! The students should be here in about twenty minutes. Think you can be ready by then?"

"Sure!" Kohaku chirps. "Kalerian, will you stay here and make sure Hiei gets reacquainted with his body?" Kalerian grins lopsidedly.

"If Hiei'll let me. Hiei?"

"Hn. Do as you please. But don't expect me to need a nursemaid, no matter what the circumstances." The black-haired boy actually manages to get to his feet and walks slowly over to the windowsill. Kohaku makes as though to stop him, then changes her mind and shrugs.

"You're just as stubborn as she told us you'd be, koorime," is her mild comment while Hiei opens the window, hops up, and gives them one measuring look.

"I've never met humans like you and Rei, ones who feel like they're more than what they seem to be. You've proven yourselves to actually be worth the thought of alliance." And with that, he's gone in his usual eye-blink.

"And according to Rei, that's a pretty high compliment from him," is Kalerian's remark as he simply takes Hiei's place on the bed and closes his eyes. Masaya can't resist asking the obvious question.

"So what's the highest?"

"'You're a worthy opponent. I'm almost sorry I have to kill you.'"

====

Fast forward one month. Current status: worryingly quiet. Akane is being taught by Rei and is actually starting to use that brain of hers before her body gets a chance to react, and Ranma is grateful that half his time isn't being spent in lower atmospheric earth orbit. Hiei is… still Hiei, but has shown glacial progress in loosening up. Kurama has spent more time with his fiery cousin, and around the three eccentric teens that are her firmest friends.

Yusuke has been training as well, both in his Detective abilities and in that new fad called a 'social life', former by Genkai, the latter by Keiko. Ranma has also been training with Rei and Akane, improving in leaps and bounds in both physical and mental capabilities. Nabiki is having a hard time conning him these days, not that that's a bad thing. The Tendo dojo is once more filled with the happy chatter of students (majority of them are seniors, but hey? Still students) and Soun is finally starting to get that thing resembling a spine back. The youngsters have even guilt-tripped Genma into teaching some of the basics to the novice classes. For some reason, Happosai has remained strangely absent.

Kuwabara is still a twit. Not much has changed there. The rest of the fiancées are laying low for one reason or another at the moment, likely plotting a new way to ensnare the object of their affection. The secret of the elemental quartet remains undiscovered, and Hiei has managed to go through this time without earning more 'blank spots' much to their pleased surprise. The Hibikis have already dropped by for a good long visit, and have promised for a return trip to occur soon, Rei even managing to tweak Ryoga's Thread so that he'd be there at the same time. Higher Ups only knows how long it had been since he'd last seen them. The Eternally Lost Boy even has his own GPS device, furnished by his sister and protected by every single charm, spell, incantation and other mystical means she could think of to keep the thing intact and functioning, since according to Ryoga, all of his other ones have either gotten wet, crushed, run out of batteries, or just plain malfunctioned the second he tried to use it.

Rei spent the next two hours fuming at an unperturbed Chaos about his abuse of her brother. When she tried swatting him, she ended up having her skin turn a bright green and stayed that way for two or three days. Kalerian could hardly stop laughing the whole time, and eventually ended up buried to his neck in the backyard.

Okay, now that all that useless but amusing detail is out of the way, onwards!

__

Kenobishi Dojo, Sunday, 3:37 pm. Middle July.

"Not bad, Akane! Your footwork just keeps getting better!" Rei tells her friend, grinning as she ducks Akane's version of the Tenshin Amaguriken (I think that's how you spell it) newly named the Dragon's Kick. On one hand (or foot) the attack does more damage because of the added muscles in a human's legs (especially women). On the other, the attack is generally weaker because the user can only kick with one foot at a time. These two are currently working on fixing that.

At the moment, Akane is balanced on one hand, supporting all of her weight while both feet lash out at Rei. Said red-head is countering with the Fox's Fury-fists, again of the same principle of the 'Roasting Chestnuts' technique, trying to knock Akane off balance or otherwise incapacitate her.

Tiring of balancing, Akane flips onto her feet and hooks her hands into claw-shapes. "Dragon's Slash!" With a yelp of surprise, Rei tumbles backwards into multiple reverse somersaults to avoid the blades of ki sent her way by Akane's downward raking of the air. "Flame Shield!" is the hasty counter, and the golden-yellow blades fizzle against the fiery dome protecting a startled Rei.

"Jesu, Jasu, and Jana!" Rei pants, "That was close!"

"Aw, come on, Rei!" Akane protests cheerfully, "How am I supposed to attack you if you keep going behind that shield of yours?"

"Oh, sure. 'Come on, Rei, let me slice you to ribbons!' How about not?" But the force-field vanishes in a swirl of red smoke and once more Rei goes on the defensive. This time Akane keeps to simple [snort] hand-to-hand combat techniques which are effortlessly blocked by her opponent.

To the number of people standing on the sidelines watching, it seems like a carefully choreographed dance that leads the contestants around the dojo floor. Well, to a small percentage of them, anyway. That group contains the stronger members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew, the remaining three of the Elemental Quartet as the ex-students of Yuki Ogawa are now called, Team Urameshi, and a few of Nerima's Dojo Masters and some other random people. They can see the entirety of the fight, unlike the rest of the group--mostly students of Kenobishi or Tendo Dojos and some other civilians that had heard about this sparring match and wanted to see. Nabiki is over in one corner running her usual betting pool, favored odds on Rei.

There is a stranger among them, wearing a heavy duster and fedora despite the unusually warm weather, who is watching this fight very intently indeed, metallic gold eyes wary. His eyes wander from the friendly/earnest battle for a moment, and lock onto Kalerian, perched on a rafter and crowing gleefully at every successful hit no matter who struck it. More accurately, on the blue-green scarf wrapped around the bicep that has the feather-brand carved into the flesh.

Kalerian's instincts start screeching alarm bells in his head and he looks down to lock eyes with the stranger. Fear locks his body into place, and his hand slips, losing his grip on the beam he's perched on and sending him tumbling to the dojo floor, right on top of the two contestants. Their own instincts warning them, the two girls move fast enough to actually intercept the plummeting, panicked boy and merely end up sitting down hard on the hardwood floor.

Several people protest at the interruption of the match, but everyone else shows concern as Masaya rushes in, scoops up his pale friend, and rushes out again, presumably up to Rei's room, which these days serves almost as much time as a first-aid station as a sleeping place. As Rei and several others follow after, Mr. Kenobishi steps forward into the ring's center and lifts an arm.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize but the match is temporarily postponed. Please stick around for a few moments while we determine the cause of the problem and see what can be done about it." Recognizing the warning phrase, several of the more advanced students move to cover the exits as the rest of the remaining audience begins to murmur and mingle.

"Geez, Koi, what's got you so spooked?" Masaya asks as he sets Kalerian down in Rei's desk chair and puts one hand against the green-haired boy's forehead, the other around a trembling wrist. Amber eyes widen as the pulse registers. "Kalerian! Take a breath and calm down. You're going to have a heart attack if your pulse speeds up any more."

"He's here. He's here he's here he's here oh my gods he's here," babbles Kalerian. Rei, Kohaku, Taro, and the Reikai boys rush into the room, followed by Ranma and Akane, all looking worried about their friend. "Rei, he's here. He's here he's here he's here!!"

"Whoa, easy," Rei soothes as she steps forward, motioning with her head for Masaya to step aside. The young giant does so and the girl cradles Kalerian's head in softly-glowing hands. "Kalerian, take a deep breath and relax. No one is going to hurt you, we won't let anyone hurt you." She leans in until her forehead rests on the Water fighter's own, her gaze trapping his blue orbs and radiating calm. "Calm down, and tell us. Who's here? Why are you so frightened?"

Kalerian gulps, but does as he's told, letting Rei's ki wash some of his terror away. "That man. From before. The one who nearly killed me, remember? He's here. Or was. He was in the audience. I saw him. He saw me. Oh, gods, Rei, he _saw me_!"

"Shh, shh. Don't worry, we won't let him near you." Several of the others make their own agreements and/or reassurances, and gradually Kalerian loses some of that wide-eyed terror. "Good, Koi. Very good."

Mr. Kenobishi sticks his head through the open door. "Rei, hon, are you and Akane going to be resuming the match anytime soon?"

"No, otou-san. We've got a bigger problem. Has anyone left yet?"

"Don't think so. I've got some of the older kids watching the exits. You gonna be okay, 'Rian?" A shaky nod seems to satisfy him, for he starts to withdraw.

"Wait, dad!" He gives her a surprised look but complies. "Don't announce anything yet. That man from the Phoenix clan is here, and I have a bone to pick with him."

"Okay, hon. If you say so." And Kr. Kenobishi withdraws.

Rei snaps into action. "Horse, I want you and Yusuke to stay here and guard Kalerian. Akane, think you can keep him from shaking himself to pieces?"

"Sure."

"Good, thanks. Ranma, Kurama, Hiei, I want you to come with me. Everyone else, spread out around outside the dojo."

"Even the idiot?" Hiei questions coldly, jerking a thumb at Kuwabara. "You know he only messes everything up."

"Why you--!" Kuwabara splutters indignantly. "I'm gonna pound you inta dust!"

"Kazuma!" Rei snaps, and Kuwabara freezes midlunge. "Do it, and I am going to hit you so hard you'll have to drop your pants to see daylight. Read me?"

"Yes'm."

"Hiei, I want him out there because he's one of the most durable people I know. He's also one of the worst fighters we have, so if anyone gets attacked, it'll likely be him which will give everyone else time to make their own moves." Kuwabara has wilted considerably during this speech, and now looks utterly depressed. "And out of all of you, he's the one I least have to worry about getting killed. Let's face it, Hiei, even you'd have trouble with the injuries Kazuma's walked away with."

"Hn. So as long as he's actually serving a real purpose."

"Just move, okay?" And the group splits up, Rei arrowing back towards the dojo, everyone else either remaining or splitting up to their designated positions. The three boys designated as her backup merely look at one another in mild worry before following.

They get there in time for the fireworks. Literally. The rest of the audience is being herded to the gates by the Kenobishi students, with the exception of extremely skilled martial-artists or direct relations thereof. All of _those_ people are standing outside the dojo with intrigued looks on their faces. Ranma, Hiei and Kurama screech to a halt as the building explodes, a rather singed male body rocketing out of the falling debris towards them. Ranma doesn't think, he just acts, and the man goes tumbling from a high roundhouse kick, leaving more of his battered clothing behind.

And then Fury steps out of the rubble.

====

Everyone except her parents gape at the awing sight of Rei Kenobishi in full blood-rage, actual flames licking up and down her body and along the thin blades of matching katanas held oh-so-comfortably in those deceptively delicate hands. What's even scarier is the perfectly friendly, calm smile and serene eyes she has.

"Well, Chard-san, it looks as though you chose rather the wrong person to mark," she says politely as she daintily crosses from broken cement and wood to grass now liberally dusted with crushed concrete. "I'll have you know your master wasn't supposed to send you out for another…oh, three months if you count back from your attack on my friend."

The man coughs, gets to his feet and spits out a mouthful of blood, straightening to reveal the large wings hanging rather brokenly from his shoulderblades. Pain contorts his face into an inhuman mask, or maybe that's just the fury of having to go though a solid cement wall nearly a foot thick with a mere human girl as his propulsion. "My Emperor is not ruled by your dictations, little wench," he snarls, not noticing the eye twitch from his opponent. Hiei notices, and so does Kurama, and they quietly pull Ranma to a safe distance. Relatively speaking.

"Crap," the other Element fighters mutter in unison, backing away and convincing the others to follow this wise example. Chard looks around in curiosity as his audience starts to leave. Why?

A sharp flare in his opponent's ki jerks his attention onto the proper person, to where Rei is standing perfectly still, eyes shadowed under her bangs, flames beginning to die away. "Mr. Chard, I will request that you please apologize for that remark."

"It would be wise for you to listen, fool," Hiei adds flatly. The bird-man merely stands up all the more proudly, convinced that he's won the battle.

"No." Kohaku and Masaya throw up their hands, Kurama shakes his head, and everyone else just looks at him like he's the greatest idiot in the world. Even worse than Kuwabara.

"Ya want roses or lilies on yer grave?" is Masaya's snide comment as Rei vanishes from sight. Chard has no time for an answer, since Rei chooses that moment to strike. Blood splatters in a rough arc from the love-tap to his head, the man staggering and clapping a hand to the shallow slice. Another wound opens like a hungry mouth on his chest, a third on his leg. More and more wounds follow, all superficial, all in places that bleed freely.

"Death of a Thousand Cuts." Hiei watches the spectacle comfortably--he can see every move she makes, no matter how fast she is, thanks to his Jagan Eye and his own skills. "I'm impressed. I didn't think she could be quite so brutal."

"My Rei can be one of the most ruthless people on the planet, all right," Taro tells him calmly. "Never got properly introduced. I'm Taro."

A glance at the proffered hand before those cold maroon eyes turn back to the 'fight'. "Hn."

"This is Hiei," Kurama says quickly before another fight can spring up. "The boy with the slicked black hair is Yusuke, the other is Kuwabara. I'm Kurama."

"Cousin, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Nice to meetcha. Rei, don't you think you oughta leave a piece of 'im for a message?" The invisible whirlwind stops and Rei reappears, still wearing that disturbingly cheerful smile.

"Yes, of course, you're right, Taro-kun. Just one last thing?"

"You're asking me?" Taro gives her a little shooing motion and she reaches one hand out and grasps Chard's bloody bicep, just above the curve of arm-muscle meeting shoulder-muscle, and leans in close.

"You will inform your Emperor Saffron," she says in so quiet a voice that only the wounded man can hear her, "that he will postpone his actions in this and any other country for another two months. This is by the Weaver's decree, and you would be wise to listen to it. Is that understood, Chard-san?" He merely looks at her with terror-filled eyes. "I asked you a question, Chard-san. Do be so kind as to give me an answer."

"Y-y-y-y-yes, m-m-m-m-ma'am."

"Good little parrot. Before you fly back to your master, I am going to give you a lasting reminder. Fail me in this, Chard-san, and you will very much regret it." Blood-red ki flares around her pinioning hand, and Chard screeches in pain, flailing only because of the intense agony. When Rei takes her hand away, there is a burn scar in the shape of the Kenobishi Fox branded into the flesh. "An eye for an eye, a brand for a brand, one that was never to mar his flesh, Chard. Go back to your home while you still have a life."

The man needs no urging. He's gone so fast his passage stirs trees for several hundred feet around. Rei turns back towards the others, and Mr. Kenobishi sighs. "Hon, did you have to destroy the dojo?"

Instantly that blankly smiling expression is gone, replaced by an honest, sheepish grin. Chuckling weakly, she puts a hand behind her head and shifts her weight onto one foot. "Sorry about that, Daddy." Universal face-fault.

====

Three days later, Rei is practicing with Kalerian after school. The yard is lit by several powerful lamps, making their current practice area--the mini Jusenkyo--nearly as bright as day. There is no hint of fear in his movements, and no sign of that cold rage in hers. Hiei is, as usual, perched in a nearby tree, watching with apparent complete disinterest. He does, after all, have a reputation to maintain.

Taro is passed out nearby, a towel draped over his bare chest, exhausted from a long day's workout and an argument of convincing Rei to let him enroll at Furinkan. He's still working on it, and apparently the grass is _extremely_ comfortable.

"So. Feeling better, Koi?" Rei asks quietly as they move from pole to pole. Kalerian gives her a lopsided grin.

"Yeah. You know, you're scary sometimes. 'Thousand Cuts'? That's cold even for you."

"Yeah, well…" Right hook, blocked and returned. Counterblock. "He was going to try and kidnap you for the slave market. Nobody makes a minion out of you except me."

"Thanks," he drawls, "that's soo-oo comforting." He grunts as he's suddenly captured in a headlock.

"Besides," Rei murmurs, "you're my friend. No one hurts a friend and gets away with it." Releasing him, she jumps back quickly and goes into a guard position. Kalerian just laughs at her face when the pole snaps under her and sends her tumbling into the water below. When the small fox emerges, coughing, he crouches on his pole and grins.

"Thanks, Rei. I needed that."

Cheater. You knew I forgot my warding bracelet. Kalerian just starts laughing harder. He gets smacked in the face with her sign a moment later and ends up in a pool himself, coughing and spluttering and face to face with a wickedly grinning Rei in a towel when he surfaces. Taro has awoken and is looking at Rei with a similar wicked smile.

"Nice view, sweetheart." Rei merely gives Taro a raspberry before Kalerian drags her into the water, laughing. It heats an instant later with a use of ki and Rei knocks his feet out from under him and pulls him beneath the surface. She clambers out a second later and prances towards the house, laughing merrily and using one hand to keep the soaked towel in place.

"Nyah, nyah, guys! Try to catch me!" Kalerian climbs out of the water and chases after her, leaving Taro to laugh himself to tears on the lawn.

===================

[laughing] I love doing stuff like that to my characters. [is smacked in the face with a wet towel]

Kalerian: Wicked, wicked creator!

Starling: [smacks him] Baka! You just gave her a weapon!

Heheheheheh, RAT-TAIL!

Starling/Kalerian: Eeeeeeeeeeeee!!! [run away]

Read and review, people!


	16. Chapter 16

****

Pryde Kitty: I love it when I'm right. - Shadowcat is one of the coolest characters, but I gotta say, Nightcrawler and Gambit are tied for my favs. Blue fuzzy and Cajun card-shark, need I say more?

I have made a decision. Since I can't seem to find a website or source that can detail me on Saffron, I'm just gonna say screw it and play freelance with the whole damn thing. Revamps may come later when the manga/episodes containing the pain-in-the-ass Phoenix come out or if/when I actually find a source. That being said--WHOO-HOO, I'm scot-free for the summer!! Hellooo, sleeping in! [Is waving pom-poms] Let the story continue!

Chapter 16: Web-walker's Weavings

====================

Yusuke watches in deep admiration at the display of skill before him: in the yard of the temple belonging to his teacher Genkai the Psychic, Hiei and Rei playfully spar. Light flashes off of Hiei's blade and the silver-wire bracelet around the girl's wrist, virtually the only things visible to the untrained eye. Both wear smiles as they dodge and weave, bounce and attack and block to bounce away again in an incredibly intricate dance that takes them all over the yard.

The Spirit Detective follows as the match shifts beyond the yard and into the forested area just beyond, the trees providing both cover and launch points for the pair. Finally the branch that Rei is crouched on snaps under her weight, and she starts falling. She manages to get her feet under her and lands safely, but the point of her opponent's katana is centimeters from her throat when she looks up. "Ah, damn," she says cheerily, "lost again to some dratted bit of wood."

"Good match, for a ningen," Hiei replies in almost as cheerful a tone, and Yusuke snorts.

"Hey, Hiei, did ya forget I'm human? How'd ya like to take on the guy who beat Toguro?" Hiei looks over at him.

"Is that a real challenge, Detective?"

"If it is, I'm betting all my cash on Yusuke," Rei says firmly. "The guy who killed that demon is going to easily thrash an apparition who's put in rank 'B'." The look Hiei gives her can be called nothing else but baleful. "Sorry, Hiei, but in terms of pure power Yusuke would flatten you. You'd gain a minor advantage with speed and maneuverability, but then again, since I wasn't there for the Tournament, I'm not certain as to what Yusuke is fully capable of." She clears her throat, drawing the diminutive apparition's full attention back to her. "Now, would you please move the katana?"

A short while later, Hiei and Rei are sitting outside Genaki's dojo while her unfortunate apprentice is getting drilled. From the sounds of it, he's being made to balance on a spike while in a fingerstand again, with just his spirit energy being used to save him from having his entire arm ripped up. It's a favorite torture of Genkai's when Yusuke is being particularly stubborn about something.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Rei jumps at the quiet words, turning wide, startled green eyes at her friend.

"Oro? About what?"

"About Yusuke's abilities compared to mine."

Rei sighs. "One of the techniques I know and can use is called 'Soul Reading' and is actually a means to read a person's ki, their spirit energy, as Koenma calls it. Any of our energies compared to a regular human or apparition is like comparing a bonfire to a candle-flame, and being able to tell what kind of fuel is being used and for what kind of fire. Incredibly enough, when you're comparing energies like yours and mine to people like Yusuke and that boy Ranma Saotome, it's like comparing a lit match to a wildfire. There is simply _no comparison_. As much as it pains me to admit, I will never be able to reach the levels of physical ability people like them are capable of. Kind of like that old saying, 'there's always someone who's gonna be stronger than you'."

The two are silent for a moment, and then Hiei speaks again. "And I? Will I always be in the shadow of the Spirit Detective?"

A laugh. "Hardly! You're one of the bogey men for the other two realms, Hiei. Good and bad. Yusuke's just the bogey man for the bad guys. Apparitions and spirits will remember you when the last human dies, while Yusuke will be all but half-forgotten when the Spirit Detectives after him do something of equal or greater challenge." A snort of amusement. "Kurama in his Youko form is almost as scary as you sometimes, by the way. That abrupt shift in his power levels is nearly frightening, and when you go into your fully-demonic form I about have heart attack." Her eyes suddenly hold a distant look to them, as though she reads from something Hiei cannot see. "Now, Ranma. He has the potential to be the strongest person in the world, period. Greater than the 'Z-fighters' you hear about sometimes on the other island, greater than that monster called Cell, greater than anything on this planet and many, many others. It's positively awing to think of how much potential is locked away in that human body."

"You keep mentioning this 'Ranma'. Have I met him?"

"He was the boy with grey eyes and the black pigtail, wearing the Chinese clothing. At the sparring match between me and Akane, remember?"

"Hn." A gleam in the maroon eyes. "So he'd be the ultimate challenge?"

"Wait a year or two, Hiei. He hasn't unlocked the half of it, yet."

The koorime seems to consider something, and glances sideways at his companion. "What is his balancing force, then? You told Kurama and I that everything has a balancing force."

A secretive smile, the one Hiei recognizes as Rei being her most cat-like. "Not what, Hiei. Who."

====

"RANMA NO BAKA!" BANG!

"Oh, my. It appears we have another hole in our roof. I'd best call the repairman."

Five minutes later, a female voice. "Geez, you tomboy, didja hafta knock me all the way to Kuno's mansion? I still ain't sure I ditched Kodachi."

"Akane, don't put holes in the ceiling like that."

Glare. "What way _should_ I put them there then, Daddy?"

Fountain tears. "Oh, Akane, don't look at me like that!"

"Great, Akane, you had to set him off again. You know how Dad still is sometimes." Akane sighs and flops down onto the cushion she had vacated a few moments before.

"Sorry, Daddy. I should have dragged him outside before hitting him."

Ranma flinches at the temperature of the water a considerate Kasumi pours over her/his head and glares at his fiancée. "What'd I do, anyway? You ain't hit me like that for a few weeks, why start again now??"

A sigh from the short-haired girl. "You know, I'm not really sure. Something's had me on edge all morning. I'm sorry for hitting you through the roof again, Ranma. No hard feelings?"

The martial-artist shakes his head. "Nah. Tell the truth, I kinda missed my morning bird's eye view of Nerima district. Kinda." The two smile at each other, and then leap about a foot in the air when Genma and Soun start gushing again about 'joining the schools' and all that bull. "Whoa, hey, loookit the time, wouldja?! C'mon, Akane, we better get to school!"

"Right behind you!" And the two flee, leaving Nabiki to walk all by her lonesome. Or not, the materialistic Tendo daughter finds out, as she walks out to the front gate. Waiting there is the handsome boy who's been horning in on some of her betting pools, which have been reduced lately along with Akane's shows of temper.

"Saw your sister and her guy a second ago," he says, grinning lopsidedly at Nabiki, "so I thought I'd walk you to school. We can talk about things on the way."

"Like what? And I'll have you know it's a five-hundred yen charge per ten minutes to walk with me."

A laugh. "I was thinking about a partnership. What do you say? That way, we can split the profits and not have to waste time or money competing against each other." He hands her the correct-sized yen-bill and they start walking, deep into discussion about some ideas they both had that wouldn't work with only one person running them.

The front yard to the school is littered with unconscious boys and one very pretzeled Kuno, Akane and Ranma nowhere in sight. Rei is poking at Kuno with his own bokken and looks up at the two with a grin. "Hey, Nabiki-san. Tomo-san. I'm pleased to report your sister has gotten even better at dispatching Blue-Bozo here, Nabiki-san. Oh, and it looks like you owe me some money."

"Oh, really?"

"Mm-hm. After all, I should get royalties for shots like these." And she holds up several candid pictures of herself in various locations, including P.E. with her gym clothes on. "How much have you been selling these for?"

"Couple thousand yen each," is the casual reply. Rei laughs, standing up and tucking the photos into her bag.

"Naughty Nabiki. You like gouging rich fools, doncha?"

"When the opportunity presents itself. Tell you what, Rei, meet me at lunch and we'll include you in our business discussions."

"Mm, perhaps tomorrow. I have business to take care of myself during lunch." Rei declines politely, and heads into the school by the fastest means possible. She jumps. All the way to the third floor, where she simply catches hold of a windowsill and pulls herself in.

"That girl'd do great as an Olympic competitor," Tomo mutters to Nabiki, who sighs an agreement and informs him how hard it is to convince any of the local _good_ martial-artists to compete for anything besides water from Jusenkyo.

====

"Lessee, link this here, cross here," Rei mutters to herself as she walks in an apparently random pattern on the roof of the school during a break. Hiei simply can't tell what she's doing, but apparently the three other Element kids can, since that girl named Kohaku tells Rei she tangling something. Rei walks backwards to the previous turn point and Kohaku nods cheerfully.

"That's done it, I think. Koi, what'd you think?"

"The time-constraints formulas look about right, Falcon. Horse?"

"No flaws in the linkage pattern, and no bumps in the distance-folds. I think it's ready, Fox."

The red-head smiles. "If Taro found out we were doing this, he'd give me such a talking to. Oh, and Hiei, your ki just flashed. You need some more practice with it."

"It would seem so," he agrees blandly, appearing beside her. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"Oh, just a quick transport spell, is all. We have a lunch meeting with someone too far to reach before class resumes. I'd invite you, but we'd have to rework the whole thing and we don't have time for that. Koenma's got nothing for you to do, I take it."

"Nothing. Much longer and I may go mad."

"Well, the results of my meeting should stir up some trouble for you to relieve your boredom on." Hiei gives her one of his rare smiles and vanishes again. Rei cocks her head, 'feeling' for him, and smiles. "Damn, that koorime moves quick. Twenty miles away already according to his Thread."

"Good. I checked his head and you're right, that boy's got too many memory gaps as it is." Kalerian shakes his head. "Damned if I know how he gets into the places that he does."

"Neither do--eeek!" Rei shrieks as a small blur suddenly attaches itself to her chest, cackling.

"Hiya, sweet-stuff! Nice place you got here." Rei slams him into the roof headfirst, snarling.

"Damn you, Happosai! I thought I'd woven you onto a new uncharted desert isle!"

Kohaku's lip curls. "Ech, is that the old pervert the girls keep telling us about, who kept raiding the girl's locker-room for underwear? He doesn't look like much, does he?"

"Tell you what, my gorgeous young goddess, why don't you'n me go out on a date and I show you just how good I am," the chibified lecherous Grandmaster of Anything-Goes Martial Arts suggests cheerfully from his perch on Kohaku's shoulder. With a similar growl as Rei, Kohaku just punts him skywards, gasping when her chest bounces more than it should.

"Damn him! He swiped my bra!"

"Whatta haul, whatta haul!" Happosai cackles as he flies off, Kohaku's bra dangling from one hand.

"Remind me to kill him later," Kohaku mutters to Rei, who nods in furious agreement.

"Right, right, but we've got somewhere to be right now, remember?" Kalerian says gently, already in his persona's costume. This time he also wears the face and form of himself several years older, as does Masaya. Short, neat beards color the boys' chins and creep up their jawlines.

"True," Rei sighs, and in a cloud of threads and mist, respectively, she and Kohaku change forms. An adult Rei looks at her friends and gives them a smile. "Now, shall we go scare a little respect into a bird-king?"

====

"Sire! Great Emperor Saffron!" A child with long black hair and two golden streaks on either side of his face looks up from his toys. A bloody, battered and half-conscious Chard is almost dragged into the throne room by Kiima's two lackeys. His arrogance vanishes into an expression of deep concern, and he pushes the table with his toys away from him.

"What's going on??" he pipes angrily, using one tiny hand to check the injured man's pulse. "Why is Chard like this??"

"Message," Chard gasps, and half-collapses on the floor, too heavy for the others to support. "From…Weaver."

"Honestly, I gave you a few wounds and it takes you this long to arrive, Chard-san?" a mocking voice questions, and the Phoenix man flinches, a small sound of terror escaping from him. Saffron looks from him to the four adults standing before him, and back again to his injured subject. "I expected you to have given him the message days ago. But I guess you weren't as strong as you thought you were, are you?"

Chard shakes his head fervently, and the woman with ruby-colored hair smiles. "Who are you?" Saffron demands, standing. The four merely look at him, unimpressed--even though we know who they are, he doesn't, and a six-year-old sized boy is nothing to be impressed about.

"I am the Weaver, Emperor Saffron. I hold all destinies in my hands. You should be thankful I do not level this mountain before another second passes," the woman snaps, voice ringing in the high-vaulted chamber. "Your foolish subject chose the wrong person to brand, and dared to try and lay claim to one of this world's masters."

"I am this world's only master, stupid human woman. You need to get your facts straight."

"Amusing, soul-sister." The woman with silvery-white hair smiles a rather predatory grin and glances at the first woman. "He's exactly the arrogant little prick you described him as."

"Unfortunately," the first woman agrees, glancing over at a man with sea-green hair dressed--in Saffron's opinion--peasant clothes. "Koi, you doing all right?"

The man gives the woman a half-smile. "I'm all right, Fox. You should be asking Falcon. She's the one who's Queen of Air, not I."

"Who the hell are you people??" Saffron demands coldly, a staff bearing a crescent moon with open-side up and three rings suddenly in his hands, warm air starting to circle around him. A gesture from the silver woman and the heat and breeze is gone. Saffron gapes.

"You don't listen very well, do you, bratling?" Falcon questions, voice sharp. "I control everything air, I am its ruler. Which means, by definition, I am your specific ruler as well. So just shut up, sit down, and prove those things on your head you call ears are for more than decoration."

Kiima steps forward, eyes glittering, and suddenly has three feet of steel held against her neck. "I wouldn't try that, little bird," the man with amber hair says calmly. "We're here for only talk. Don't make us turn it into bloodshed." She reluctantly steps back to her place beside the throne, and settles for Death Glares all round. The man is suddenly back with the other three, and no one has seen him move.

"You want to know who we are, child-Emperor. Do you ask in earnest? You will not like the answer."

"Tell me who you are."

"Very well, then. Allow me to manifest my Office." The red-haired woman takes a single step away from the group and raises a hand. Cupped in the palm is a crystalline spider the size of an apricot, that turns in a circle before dropping from her hand on a nearly-invisible thread. It dangles for a moment before beginning to spin--literally, like a top. Light begins to grow from it, and the spider becomes a globe of white light with a small core of crimson red. Threads, rainbow-colored ones, begin to swirl out of the light like a tangled spool on a high-speed sewing machine. "I am the Weaver of Destinies, Queen of all things heat and flame. To put it simply, little phoenix, I am Fate and the Element of Fire."

"I am Time, and the Element of Water, and the one wronged by your servant," the man in blue nearly spits, pulling up that worn sleeve to reveal the feather-brand. Several guards step forward and stop in their tracks, hands going to their throats and water pouring out of their noses and mouths. "Toy with me at your own peril." The guards retreat, coughing, and the water ceases.

"I am Life, and Air," the silver woman says calmly.

"I am Spirit, and Earth." The last man, the one who had held the sword to Kiima's throat, stands there with the point of his blade sunk into the thick carpet, hands resting on the pommel-nut.

"The reason we are here, is to inform you in no uncertain terms, that you are to withhold any and all activity in the world beyond this mountain, save for the collection of edibles and clothing, blankets, fuel, etc. for the duration of two months. This is by our decree," the invisible force of the four's joined ki fills the room and makes it hard to breathe, "and any breaking of this decree is punishable by total extinction. Your life and soul will no longer exist after the first offense. Is this clear?" The look in those dangerous emerald eyes brooks no argument, least of all from the terrified Chard and the stunned Saffron. "Very well, then. I shall be seeing you in two months, Emperor Saffron."

Again that mocking smile as they vanish. "You be a good boy, now."

====

The foursome rematerialize on the roof of the school, still in their adult forms, and they nearly jump out of their skins when Hiei comments, "That's an interesting trick you four have."

"Jesu, Hiei!" Rei snaps, reverting back to her normal body and school uniform in a cloud of cinnamon-scented smoke. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Kalerian shakes his head in resignation as the rest of them revert as well. "You weren't kidding, Rei. He really does have cat in him somewhere."

"Told you." She turns her attention back to Hiei. "So. What's your opinion on this?"

He regards her with those unreadable maroon eyes from his perch on the fence. "About what? You have a similar trick to that idiot toddler, and another I wouldn't mind learning. Mind you, the clothes are strange, but since I don't have to wear them I don't care." Mild confusion darts through his eyes at the sigh of relief from all four.

"Hiei, you just gave the safest answer. Tell Kurama I'll see him after school, all right?" And with that, Rei drags her other three friends back into the school building just as the end-of-lunch bell rings, leaving Hiei to stare at the access door blankly.

_Safest answer?_

====

_Two weeks later…_

"Damn, Ranma, what happened to you?" Rei questions when Ranma drags himself into the emptying dojo. Several of the younger students look at him curiously, but the older ones are well used to seeing walking wounded (especially Ranma) around Nerima, and merely give him sympathetic glances.

"One of the longest weeks of my life," he groans, going over to a bench and flopping down. "My mom showed up and took my girl side clothes shopping, and then some guy shows up, tricks Mom into thinking he's _me_, and tries to get the second half of a technique Pop created. So then I hafta learn it, and end up getting into this fight with the guy--"

"And emerge victorious, I'm guessing?"

She is rewarded with a quick lopsided grin. "Yeah. Like usual. So now Mom knows he ain't me, the first technique is sealed away with the second again, and I don't hafta worry about it anymore. My Mom's a diff'rent story."

Rei sits on the floor beside the bench, cross-legged and fully attentive. "How so?"

"Pop's stupidity goes back a long way. When I was a little kid, I think two or three he told me, Pop took me off on the huge long training trip I told you about."

A nod. "Ah, yes, the one that ended at Jusenkyo."

"Hai. So before we leave, he makes a contract with her that says I'll either grow up to be 'a man among men'--whatever the hell that means--or he and I commit seppuku and Mom acts as our second before slitting her own throat."

"And since you're the unlucky person who took a dunking in 'Spring of Drowned Girl' that presents some serious problems." Rei finishes for him, nodding. "Oh, that sounds exactly like something that stupid panda would do. No offense, Ranma."

"Nah, 's okay. I feel the same way. He's sold me out--literally--too many times for me to really trust him or even respect him much anymore." Ranma winces and puts his right hand on left shoulder, rotating his left arm in its socket and listening unhappily to it pop several times.

"Sounds like you need a full-body going over."

"A what?"

Cheerful exasperation, "A massage, stupid." Ranma's face lights up.

"Really? You'd do that? I'd go to Tofu's place but Kasumi mentioned goin' over there--"

"And no one is safe when Kasumi's around him," Rei laughs, standing up and walking towards the small storage cubby in the back of the dojo. "Take your shirt off and lie on your stomach on the floor and I'll see what I can do." Happily Ranma complies, dropping his ragged shirt to the floor and stretching out on the floor, grinning with anticipation. Most of the kids who get into fights regularly know that Rei is the best to go to when you need to get muscles loosened. His shirt gets balled up to use as a cushion for his chin. Rei walks back a moment later with a small squeeze bottle filled with an apple-green liquid. "You like the melon-herb scent, right?"

"Hai." Rei grins at him and sets the bottle down beside him, straddling his upper legs (A/N: Minds outta the gutter! :P) and placing her hands on either side of his spine at the small of his back.

"First things first. Inhale." Obediently he takes a deep breath. "Exhale." Slowly he releases the air while she pushes firmly upwards along his spine. Numerous cracks and pops are heard, the sound of his spine realigning. Ranma grunts slightly as she does it once more before he finishes the breath, and chuckles.

"Damn, that was worse'n last time." He winces as she pushes down on his hips, an especially loud _snap!_ echoing off the ceiling and walls.

"I can't imagine why," is the very dry reply as Rei reaches over and grabs the bottle of massage oil. She squeezes a small amount into one palm and sets the bottle down again before rubbing her hands together to coat them both and warm them. Ranma inhales appreciatively as the sinus-clearing scent of melon and several sharp herbs waft past his nose.

He spends the next fifteen lovely minutes getting turned into a puddle. Rei goes over every single muscle in his back, arms and neck, making Ranma feel as though he's now mostly water once all the tension is eased away and his skin heats from the application of the oil. Then she goes over his legs, pushing up the legs of his pants and politely keeping her hands away from…err, inappropriate areas, going no higher that midway up his thigh but all the way down to his toes, popping those as well. She has him roll onto his back for his feet, though, since that would be more comfortable for both of them.

Neither say much during the massage besides a few acidic comments on the state of Ranma's body from Rei and a few defensive ones from Ranma, and by the time Rei is finished, Ranma is half asleep and looking utterly relaxed, not to mention about ready to start purring.

"Bet that feels better, hm?" Rei questions gently as she cleans the oil off her hands with a towel, giving the back of one hand an appreciative sniff and her friend a smile. "Must say, I approve of your choice of oils. I like this one, too."

"Hmm," is the drowsy reply. Rei just chuckles and helps him up and over to the vacated bench, laying him down and grabbing a light blanket and pillow from a chest by the cubby. She gets him settled and murmurs one last thing to him before slipping out and turning off the dojo lights.

"You're darned lucky we don't have anymore classes today. Sleep tight, Wild Horse."

====

"Evening, Ranma. Sleep well?" Ranma yawns and stretches languidly before smiling at the cheerful foursome sitting on the lawn and playing cards by torchlight. It's full dark by now, and the sky is filled with an unusual amount of stars tonight.

"Yeah, thanks, 'Rian. How come so many stars are out?" He takes a seat beside the boy and looks at the pile of cards.

"Oh, just a little blackout. A few of the female Wrecking Crew were looking for you and took out a couple of key powerlines when they bumped into each other. The power company should be getting them back up soon, though." Kalerian studies his hand of cards, then glances at the discard pile and scoops up five, laying out all of his cards with a triumphant smile. "Gin! For the third time!"

Groans meet his declaration and the other three throw their cards playfully at him, all of them laughing. Ranma scratches the back of his head thoughtfully. "Since I got a nice nap, they didn't find me?"

"Nah," Kohaku replies, scooping up the scattered cards and beginning to put them back into a neat stack, "we gave them the ol' runaround bit and sent them off chasing a Mousse."

"Huh?"

"Sent 'em on a wild goose chase, Ranma," Masaya translates with a grin. "So what put you out for--" a glance at his watch, "--nearly six hours?"

"Long week and a real good massage," Ranma mumbles, and is grinned at by three of them. Rei just shrugs and helps gather the rest of the cards.

"Rei turned you into a puddle, eh?" Kalerian questions cheerfully. "I love her massages. They'll liquefy you to darn near perfection, and that's on a bad day." The others nod enthusiastically and Rei blushes slightly.

"Aw, c'mon, guys, I'm not that good. I can think of several people better than me."

Masaya leans over and lightly flicks her nose. "Yeah, and most of them are middle aged and been studying for decades. Cut yerself some slack, Fox. Hey, Ranma, you wanna borrow some of my threads? I checked in on you earlier and noticed your shirt's close to the rag-bin." A quick glance. "And your pants ain't far off, either. You're about my size, my stuff should fit."

"Well--"

"Lemme put it this way, bro," Masaya adds logically, "if'n you're wearing something that's gonna be easy to tear, if you bump into any of those girls they might take advantage of that fact."

"Point taken," Ranma says quickly. "Thanks, Masaya."

"Aw," pouts Kohaku as Masaya and Ranma rise and walk towards the house, "I was enjoying the view." Ranma turns bright red and starts walking faster.

"Think you scared him," is the light rebuke from Kalerian as he begins to shuffle the deck. "Fox, while those two are inside and Hiei is currently absent--he is, right?"

"Mh. His Thread has him back by Yusuke's place. I guess they finally got a mission."

"Okay. Since Mr. Pyro-kitty isn't here, why don't you let your ears stretch?"

"Nah. I can wait for a little longer." Rei grins at him, flashing her fangs in the firelight. "But thanks for thinking of me."

"Sweeto!" BANG! And a burned Happosai goes flying towards the nearest star, with Rei's shirt.

"Besides, I hafta go get a new shirt and go pound someone."

A laugh. "Have fun, sis."

Kohaku looks up from the cards. "Want some help?"

"No, next time can be your turn. Thanks anyway."

====

Late that night (or very early the next morning), Rei sits on the roof just above her bedroom and looks up at the stars. She gives a deep sigh and then glances furtively around her before cocking her head in the pose we are beginning to recognize as her running Threads through her awareness. Satisfied that those near her are deep asleep, she sighs again and stretches. When she comes out of the stretch, we notice new additions to her anatomy.

The sharply-rounded ears of a real fox emerge on either side of her head, a bushy tail curls around her hips and under her bent knees, all of it the same color as her hair except for inky black tips. Her eyes are a deeper green color, the pupils elliptical instead of round. She scrutinizes her new claws and smiles.

"I wonder when Ryoga will figure out he isn't just human?"

====================

mwahahahaOW! [rubs head]

Starling: Don't start with the evil laugh again, sugar.

Least I don't sound like Kodachi.

Starling: Thank the gods for that.

So what do you think, everyone? One of my readers was a bit disappointed that I didn't end the last chapter with a cliffie, so I decided to oblige.

Starling: and here comes the mob.

Crud. [takes off running] Read and Review, thanks!


	17. Chapter 17

T.T Only a couple of reviews? [goes off and mopes in a corner] I feel so unloved. But the story must go on! Don't have much of a choice anymore. [glances off to the side where the Elemental Four are holding ki-balls and looking threatening] T.T

Starling: Got someone to make you feel better.

[sniffle] Really?

Kurama: Starling, I really don't get why--

Wheee! [is suddenly a little fox that curls around Kurama's neck and actually purrs] Thank you, Starling.

Starling: I knew a dose of your favorite bishie would cheer you up.

Kurama: [to Niana] I take it you're a fan. You've had your shots, right?

Meanie. Yes, I've had my shots, and I promise I won't bite. (Nibble a little, maybe…)

Chapter 17: Startling Revelations

=================================

"Hi-_yah_!" Crash. Since once again it is a Sunday, there are no classes, Rei's parents are off on a business trip, and no one else is around, Rei has taken a chance and has decided to do some exercising in her actual form. She removes her fist from the broken pile of cinderblocks and pops her wrist by rotating it.

She hasn't noticed two approaching ki, deep as she is in a training trance. A startled inhalation makes her whirl, and her eyes grow wide at the sight of Kurama no more than twenty feet away, Hiei right beside him. Both are utterly stunned--Kurama's mouth is slightly open. Hastily she puts her hands over her ears and whisks her tail behind her.

"Ah, Kurama! Hiei! What are you--I mean--why are--it's not what it--I can explain…oh, _hells_!" Kurama turns his face slowly towards Hiei, but his eyes are locked on Rei, still spluttering and getting more edgy and flustered by the second.

"My…cousin is…standing there…in youko form…right, Hiei?" The apparition nods, and Rei takes a step backwards in preparation of fleeing, but Hiei moves faster. Before she can blink, Hiei has her tucked under his arm, her own arms pinioned, legs dangling. She immediately starts struggling, of course.

"Hey, baka! Put me down before I bite you!"

"You are hardly in a position to--" Chomp. Hiei closes his eyes and grits his teeth while Rei sinks her fangs deeper into the front part of Hiei's calf.

"I haid hut he hown." Hiei removes his arm and Rei drops to the ground on all fours, releasing her grip and bounding into the nearest tree, watching the pair warily. Never taking her eyes from them, she spits out a mouthful of blood and swipes her _gi_ sleeve across her tongue. "Blech. You taste terrible, porcupine head. And when was the last time you washed those pants?"

"How long?" Kurama demands.

"How long what?" Rei asks back, cocking her head to one side, still watching the both of them, most of her focus on the more-dangerous Hiei, who is looking none-too-pleased at the fang marks in his leg. "How long have I been part fox? How long have I been keeping it from you? Or how long was I intending to keep it from you?"

"All of the above," Hiei says flatly.

"Hiei." Kurama's voice is filled with a mixture of emotions, none of them happy, most of them close kin to anger.

Rei takes a safer perch higher up but still in full view of the boys. "One: I've been this way all of my life. Frankly, I'm surprised the coloring and the fangs didn't tip you off. Two: I've been keeping it from you since I found out at age three." She looks somewhat ashamed. "I thought you'd think me too weird and you wouldn't like me anymore. It just became habit after that."

"And the last?" Kurama asks quietly.

"I was planning on telling you. Eventually." Face-fault. "Are you really mad at me, Kurama?" she asks in a small voice, hunched into herself on her branch, ears flat against her skull. In her head, fully shielded from Hiei, is the thought, _"Charm Person plus female version Puppy Eyes feat check, rolling against Sense Motive."_ (Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Rei and the author are gamers among other hobbies. Fear ussss…;P ) Kurama tries to hold onto whatever anger or its cousins he has, but fails and shakes his head unhappily. _"Sense Motive roll failed, Charm a success. Maybe I should just do this the easy way and blank this memory. Nah, they'd find out again eventually, or Koenma would open his big mouth."_

"No, just confused and not pleased, exactly. You can come down from there now." Rei slowly hops down--literally--jumping gracefully from branch to branch until she stands several feet away from her adoptive cousin. Her ears are slightly uplifted, but her shoulders are still hunched and her head lowered.

"I really am sorry, Kurama-kun. I did want to tell you, but…well…with Hiei as the only apparition on the team, I didn't think you'd be happy about it." Rei looks rather confused when Hiei starts coughing and Kurama looks at her like she's crazy. "What? Nani?"

"Rei, you are not aware of my history?"

"What history?" She looks back and forth between them, confusion growing, thinking, _"Damn, I knew I should have followed my original thought and checked everyone's backgrounds. Why is Hiei about to fall over laughing?"_ "I know you and Hiei met a while back, and that you once stole the Forlorn Hope to cure your mother, but not much else. How _did_ you get past the security on those things, anyway? It's a gods-be-damned fortress, for pity's sake."

"How should I put this?" Kurama pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath. "Rei, I am actually a kitsune known as Youko Kurama." Rei goes white.

"As in, THE Youko Kurama? The greatest thief the Makai has ever heard of? THAT Youko?"

"Yes, that Youko. When my body was killed by a bounty hunter, my soul fled to the human world and entered the newly formed fetus of a human woman named Shiori Minamino. I had intended to leave at age ten, but I went, as the old psychologists put it, 'native'. So now I am mostly human, but still very much Youko. And right now, what part of me is still fox is trying to decide whether or not he wants to hug you or strangle you for hiding it."

"I'm voting the hug part." Her ears perk straight up and she squeaks, hiding behind Kurama and peeking over her shoulder, fox-ears suddenly as gone as her tail. "Shoot! Hope Mom and Dad didn't see that…"

"They didn't know, either?" Kurama gets bonked.

"Baka, _no one_ knows about it except Koi, Horse, Falcon, and Master Yuki! And that's because they're mixed-blood too!" She claps a hand over her mouth. "Shit. I wasn't supposed to say that." She groans, walks over to the dojo wall--the far side, so the two adults climbing out of the newly-returned car don't see her--and starts rhythmically whacking her head against the wall, chanting, "baka, baka, baka."

"Hello, Shuichi!" Mrs. Kenobishi calls to him. "Welcome back! Have you seen Rei?"

"No, Aunt Akiko. I did come by to see her, though."

"Oh, well. I'm sure she'll be back soon." And her parents disappear into the house. Kurama waits a moment before walking over to Rei and stopping her from denting the wall any further than she already has.

"It would seem you and I need to talk, cousin."

=====

"…I see. So your biological mother is half fox and half fire apparition. That does explain a great deal of your past behavior," Kurama sighs about an hour later. The three of them are sitting under a local bridge, the running water just a few feet below them sufficient to cover their voices.

"And yours, too. You didn't start warming up to anyone until we were six." Rei is curled on a block of cement, upper body prone with her legs crossed beneath her.

"And you said your biological brother knows nothing of his heritage?" Hiei questions, making sure he understands.

"No. I suspect that's part of why he can cross into the Rekai and Makai without realizing it. We foxes do share a common ancestor with the cat, after all, and can get into just about as many places."

"Hey, bingo!" All three jump at the cheerful voice. "Hey, guys, I found them!" The three look up to find Kalerian hanging over the bridge railing, feet hooked into the bars to keep him from falling. He lets go and flips neatly to the ground, walking up and grinning. The other two Elements jump down a moment later, also grinning. Every single one of them reveals their demon characteristics the second they hit the ground, and Kurama and Hiei's jaws drop, despite their warning.

Kalerian sports fins instead of his human ears, blue-green scales striping his cheeks and flowing down his neck to disappear under his shirt. When he lifts a hand to wave at the trio, blue webbing stretches between the graceful fingers. Kohaku has a tiny pair of wings sprouting from her shoulderblades, black talons curving from the tips of her fingers. Everything about her remains mostly the same, like Masaya. He simply has hair growing along his spine, peeking out from the bottom of his untucked shirt, to go along with increased muscle mass.

"There you are, Fox-chan," Masaya chuckles. "We picked up on the link," he taps his forehead to indicate his meaning, "that you got mixed up and stuck your foot in your mouth. So they know everything now?"

"Pretty much," Rei says unhappily. "Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to blab your secrets."

"Nah," Kohaku says dismissively, "we don't much care. No big deal, right, Horse?"

"Right, Falcon. So, Kurama, what do you think about Rei? You mad or anything?" He bristles. "'Cause if you are, you're gonna have to take it up with us."

"Sit down, Horse, before you get clobbered. Kurama's got way more fighting abilities than you do. Heck," Rei mutters irritably, "he's prob'ly better'n me, too. Man," she adds, whacking her head on the cement block and creating a sizable dent, "today sucks! Purely, totally, sucks!" Another whack and the dent deepens.

"Rei, stop doing that. You're going to give yourself a concussion." Kurama sighs. "I apologize for not telling you about me sooner. Since you know Koenma and about the people known as 'Team Urameshi', I assumed you knew."

"We're foxes, Kurama. We both have trouble with telling secrets."

"So." Hiei is studying the three newcomers intensely. "Are all of you quarter-breeds, like Rei?"

"Half water, half human," Kalerian says cheerfully.

"Mostly human, but some horse and earth apparition thrown in." Masaya shrugs. "Think it's something along eighth horse, quarter earth."

"We always tease him about it," Kohaku snickers. "If it was vice versa, he'd be a quarter-horse. Get it?" Hiei looks disgusted at the pun but Kurama half smiles. "I'm the closest to straight either way: three-quarters human, eighth bird and air."

"Does Koenma know about this?" Kurama asks his cousin, who nods.

"Yeah. He had this weird blue ogre guy drag me off to his palace when I was three and a half. He was the one to suggest training with Master Yuki, interestingly enough. I guess even the blind man can hit a target once and a while." A rubber stamp drops onto her head from out of nowhere and she scowls at it. "It's true, binky-breath. You've come up with so many cockamamie schemes I'm surprised Yusuke hasn't died a second time, let alone Kuwabara. You and he in the same room together make my head hurt." A second stamp, this one clearly thrown, whaps into her head and she snarls. "That's it! You got a bone to pick with me I'm gonna do it in person, and give ya yer stamps back!" Furious, she jerks herself onto her feet and snaps, the stamps disappearing along with her.

Hiei merely looks over at Masaya. "I was under the impression that it took complicated figures to transport oneself."

"Nah, that's for any number larger than two. We can all snap-out when and where we want. Right, Falcon?"

"Right." Kohaku stretches, wings and talons vanishing. "So. Who's up for pizza? I heard about this great okonomiyaki place downtown."

=====

"Thank you, Koenma. I must say, though, that was a very irritating way to get me out of there." Rei is stretched out in a comfy chair in front of Koenma's desk, feet propped on the edge away from the mountain of paperwork.

"I wanted you out of there before you let your Secret slip like you have everything else today," Koenma mutters as he busily stamps, re-inks, and stamps again, over and over. Rei groans.

"I know, I know! I've been a real blabbermouth today. Funny though, that's usually Botan's job." Tap. Rei's face falls slightly when an oar lightly taps her head. The blue-haired girl holding it looks more amused than anything.

"Now, now, Rei, it isn't nice to pick up other people's habits. They might want them back, later." Rei chuckles and gestures, a chair suddenly appearing beside hers. Botan accepts the invitation and sits down, oar vanishing into thin air.

"I still find it hard to believe such a chipper person is the Grim Reaper," the red-head sighs, snuggling into the over-plush padding. "I mean, come on, you have got to be the perkiest person I have ever met."

"That's because good Grim Reapers need good attitudes," Botan chirps. "After all, how will you ever make a spirit feel better if you're spouting Edgar Allen Poe all the time? Not a very cheerful person, that one. Ferried him myself, actually. I had to go take a bubble-bath to cheer myself up afterwards."

"You meet the most interesting people, too," Rei laughs. "I guess that's one of the perks."

"But you're Fate, aren't you? You must know about everyone in the world."

"Nah, not everyone." Rei shifts again, sitting up a bit more and taking her feet off the desk. "There's the Chaos Cards for one thing; you can never predict what's going to happen with them. Chaos picks up anymore power and I might not be able to set their destinies. Then there are the Wild Cards."

"Wild Cards?" Koenma questions curiously. He may be the ersatz ruler of the Spirit World (what with King Enma gone so often) but not even he gets many chances to learn about the office of Fate.

"Mm. They're souls that for some reason, just don't get picked up on by Fate or by her Tarot deck. They can drift around for years before the current Fate takes note and marks them. And that's not to say that many of them are bad--most of them are just free spirits in every meaning of the word that wander around, taking up Roles like story-tellers, minor tradesmen, musickers, the like. Yusuke's been influenced by a Wild Card, did you know?"

"Really?" Botan asks, eyes wide.

"Yep. It's the main reason he jumped out into the road to save that little boy. Normally his instinct for self-preservation is low, admitted, but that was crazy even for him." Rei holds up one hand and ticks reasons off on her fingers. "He had only brief contact with the boy. He wasn't related. He was originally--hell, he's _still_ a punk. He was in something of a bad mood, and finally, most humans make it a strong habit not to go leaping in front of moving cars. Yusuke is one of them, and to do something that goes against a firmly set habit is a sure sign that a Wild Card has brushed by him."

"Oh, this is fascinating!" Botan warbled, clapping her hands. Rei smiles and blushes faintly, then looks thoughtful.

"Come to think of it," she murmurs, tapping her chin with a finger, "Ryoga shows all the earmarks of being a Wild Card. Heh. I'll have to look into that." Suddenly she looks more cheerful than she has all morning, rising to her feet and chuckling. "Thanks, you two. I needed that."

"Needed what?" Botan looks honestly confused.

"I needed someone to just chatter at about Fate. You two were a perfect audience. I feel so-oo much better! See ya!" And she bounds off, positively crackling with energy.

Koenma looks over at Botan, a sweatdrop by his head. "Why does she keep doing that?"

===

"So you guys really don't mind I blabbed?" Rei asks later that night, as the four relax in the clearing outside her workroom. A little portable spinning wheel is set up in front of Rei, who is using it to spin just regular thread. Fireflies of unusual brightness drift around the clearing and among the threes, for all the world like little golden stars against the darkness of night. A few lanterns are lit inside the cozy little one-room cottage, just enough to dimly light the grass for a few feet beyond the window.

Kalerian grins as a firefly lands on his nose and sits there, its tiny light blinking slowly. "Nah. Truth is, we don't care if that bunch learns what we are. After all, Koenma already knows about us, and if the wrong person finds out you can do that little 'forget' trick of yours and poof! no more problem." He gestures, and the firefly zips off in startlement. Kohaku is amusing herself by using her abilities as a wind apparition to guide the fireflies into shapes and patterns and 'jewelry'. Right now she has a circlet of fireflies floating just an inch away from her head and is holding her hands in a prayer position.

"Hey look! I'm an angel!" Everyone laughs and Rei throws a ball of thread at her friend, scattering the fireflies back to the wind.

"You're about as much an angel as I am innocent." Masaya grins from where he lays stretched out on the cool grass.

"That's not saying much, Fox. You're not exactly jaded, either."

"Oh, really?" she shoots back, grinning just as widely. All of them have their demonic aspects unveiled, and her ears are perked straight forward. "Ever hear this one, then?" And she proceeds to tell the bawdiest joke she knows, and everyone blushes while they laugh when she finishes.

"Another perk of being Fate, eh, soul-sister?" Kohaku flutters her wings and cocks her head to one side, listening happily to the serenade of crickets invisible in the darkness.

"Yeah, but remember, there are downsides," Rei sighs. "Like knowing how and when you die, and when everyone around you dies."

"Even partial immortality sucks, doesn't it?" Kalerian asks, and everyone sighs an agreement. The silence after stretches on for a few minutes before he breaks it again. "So, down to business, ne?"

"Hai," the others groan, everyone sitting up and moving into a rough circle. "What are we going to do about the battle? We're friends with everyone here, I don't think we can just sit back and watch." Sounds of agreement from all sides. Kohaku looks over at Rei.

"Rei, you got anything to keep Akane out of it?"

Rei looks uncomfortable. "Yeah, but I don't want to talk about it. It's kinda difficult to explain." The others let it drop, and move on to specifics of the battle itself. In the firefly-lit darkness, none of them notice that those expressive emerald eyes shine because of unshed tears.

===

"Konnichiwa, Ku Lon-san," Rei sighs the next afternoon after school, walking into the Neko-Hanten for her shift.

"Ah, Rei, right on time. We're not going to be too busy today, the restaurant's been booked for a private party."

"Really?" Cologne notes that her waitress' eyes go from detached to wary in a blink. Although curious, she lets the matter drop in the same fashion as the other elemental youngsters had last night, by changing the subject.

"Yes. You can take the afternoon off, if you wish."

"Oh, no, thank you. I need something to do this afternoon since Dad's off on a week-long business trip and all classes have been postponed until then. But thank you, Elder."

"Airen!" Shampoo cheers, leaping past them to outside and glomping onto the unfortunate Ranma who had been trying to sneak past without being noticed. "You go on date with Shampoo, yes?"

"Shampoo, how many times I gotta tell ya?" he grits while trying to remove her without groping her. "I don't wanna go on a date with you!"

"Ranma! How dare you grope my Shampoo like that??" Mousse demands, coming up out of nowhere and braining an unfortunate statue. His glasses are once again on top of his head instead of on his nose where they belong, and without them Mousse is blind as a bat without sonar.

"Should I?" Rei sighs to Cologne, who nods. Gathering bowls of ramen from the counter she expertly flings them at Shampoo, who in turn catches them without spilling a drop. A take-out box follows suit, and the Amazon girl fits everything into the box neatly. "Since you have so much energy, please put it to good use delivering orders instead of half-strangling paying customers," the red-head says wearily. "Mu Tsu! Stop bashing that statue and start cleaning tables before I bash _you_!"

Pouting, Shampoo rides off on her bike and Mousse makes a hasty getaway into the café to resume his duties as a busboy. Cologne nods at Ranma, who makes good his escape and flees. "I wonder where he's going?" wonders Rei aloud as she helps set up tables for the private party. Mousse snorts, wiping down the tables with a damp cloth.

"Who cares? So long as he stays away from my Xian Pu."

"Dummy! You're blinder than I thought if you think Ranma actually likes that attention." Rei lightly bonks him in passing and frowns. "You honestly don't get it, do you?"

"Get what, miss know-it-all?" Rei winces--that's hitting a little closer to the truth than she likes.

"Ranma isn't interested in _anyone_, period. The only reason he lets any of those girls do anything is because he lacks the social skills to do anything about it." She snorts, carrying a chair to one of the newly-formed long tables. "He wants to avoid all of them because he hates being chased like some prize. He's pretty much a wild horse in everything but appearance. Because Akane doesn't chase after him and make love-sounds at him, he's more comfortable with her. And when she acts like he's come to expect her to, he gets even more comfortable because she acts like a martial artist and not some crazy fan-girl."

Mousse gapes at her, cloth and tables forgotten. She continues ranting calmly onwards, still working. "Akane acts like a friend instead of someone who wants to rip his clothes off and 'do' him right in the street. How many decent males do you know who actually _would_ enjoy something like that?"

He thinks about it. "None that I can think of," he confesses, and Rei nods.

"He likes Akane even more now that she's stopped hitting him all the time. To put it in horse terms, she acts like a herd member. All those other girls act like predators. Rabid ones, too," she adds, thinking of a certain gymnast.

"I never thought about it that way."

"No one besides Ranma and Kasumi seem to, and that's the whole damned problem!" Rei growls to herself. "Even Ukyo's gone fan-girl!" She sets another chair down with a clunk and rubs her forehead. Mousse snaps out of his daze and looks at her in mild concern.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, it was just a very long night and thinking about the whole fiancée business just makes my blood boil."

"So, Ranma really doesn't want to date Shampoo?" Mousse asks, getting back to the important part.

"No, you blind baka," Rei replies with affection lacing her words. "He doesn't. He'd be happy if all the girls just be friends to him and let him feel his own way through this mess. He's going to make the choice eventually, rushing him and trying to force him to choose isn't going to make it happen any faster." _Or any different,_ she adds to herself with a tiny smile. Mousse lets the conversation fall to silence until they're almost done setting up.

"So how do I get Shampoo to stop chasing Ranma and start looking at me?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask that," Rei sighs. "To be honest, Shampoo _does_ like you, BUT--" she raises a hand to stop his joyous whoop before he utters it, "you're chasing _her_ just as hard as she's chasing Ranma. That squashes whatever she may feel with a whole lot of irritation. Why don't you try giving her her space for a while? Do subtle things, like bringing her flowers or a little bauble to show your affection. Don't keep trying to glomp her, or proclaiming your love for her from the dratted roof-tops. And remember to wear you glasses more often, okay? It's not very flattering to her when you start declaring your love to her and are actually saying it to a statue or a stranger or someone like Happosai."

"Oh." Mousse turns red. "Yes, I suppose you do have a point there."

"'Suppose'?" his coworker asks archly, lifting an eyebrow. Mousse blushes harder and she relents. "So who hired this place out for the afternoon, anyway? They must have plenty of pocket-money; renting this whole dining room isn't cheap."

"I believe some folk from the Phoenix tribe," Mousse muses, missing the sudden stiffening of Rei's entire body. "Strange, though. They're from farther away than even the Musk tribe, and I don't believe they have a reason for coming all this way."

"We'll see," whispers Rei, anger beginning to smolder in her eyes. "We'll see."

===

Saffron looks around the café with some bemusement. From the description, he'd thought the place would be a whole lot bigger. But he has an Elder from the Amazons waiting on him herself, so he can't complain too much. Odd, though, that red-haired girl serving some of his servants across the room looks vaguely familiar. He beckons to Cologne and she pogos over, face utterly serious.

"Yes, Emperor Saffron?"

He points. "Who is she?" Cologne looks up and sees who he's pointing at.

"That is our part-time waitress, Rei Kenobishi, Emperor Saffron. Why do you ask?"

"Bring her here." Cologne obediently goes over to Rei and speaks with her a moment. The girl walks over a moment later, smiling and chatting to his people as she passes them.

"Can I help you, Emperor Saffron?" Her voice also sparks alarm in his mind, he's just not sure why.

"Have I seen you somewhere before, girl?"

"I don't think so, Emperor-sama." Inwardly she winces. It's not entirely a lie, since he's only seen her adult form. "Why, if I may be so bold to ask?"

Even Kiima, now that she's paying attention to the girl, notices a bizarre familiarity. "You look familiar, ningen girl."

"Do I, really?" Rei asks quietly. More alarm bells go off, and Kiima starts getting edgy. "Perhaps you saw me when I was passing Phoenix Mountain on my last trip for my family." Invisibly, she tweaks a few Threads and the set relaxes, uneasiness forgotten along with any sense of familiarity. The boy-Emperor dismisses her and she returns to serving the lesser people he brought with him. He resummons Cologne and she once again pogos up.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"We are here for a specific reason," he states bluntly, and then his youth takes over again. "Kiima-chan, what were we here for again?"

"A map."

"That's right," he agrees, still child-like. "We're looking for a map to Jusenkyo's source."

"I am sorry, but I do not have such a map," Cologne says truthfully. "The Amazons have never possessed that map."

"Do you know who does?"

"I am sorry, but I do not." Disappointed, the Phoenix Emperor lets it go and finishes the meal in silence. Wordlessly, all rise when he does, and they begin to file out. Rei has already excused herself, and she and the others wait on the rooftop across the street to the café in their adult forms. Kiima looks up, alerted by some sixth sense, and swords are drawn.

The four simply leap in unison to the street below and advance upon the party of bird-folk, anger stiffening their bodies. Rei is in the lead. "Have you forgotten my warning so swiftly, arrogant child?" she demands angrily, hands tucked in her dress' sleeves. She lets one hand drop and holds the other higher, twisting it in a peculiar motion. A crimson Thread appears in her hand, lit along its length with phantom flames. This is not the magnified view. All along the slender length it is one solid color, with only different shading along the whole, proof that he is in truth a phoenix.

"I forget nothing," Saffron replies with just as much heat. "I am trying to help my people." A feather-light twist of Rei's hand and his face contorts with pain. Several arrows are fired, and are carelessly deflected by a gesture from Kohaku.

"I am well aware of your reasonings, boy-king," Rei snaps, loosening her hold on his Thread. His face regains color and he straightens, a furious glare burning in his eyes. "I told you once before, you will only continue your path after a specific length of time has passed. Your wait is not yet over, and yet here you are, oh so far from your mountain home."

"And why do you stop us?" he demands in utter fury, the strange staff once more in his grasp.

"I do this to keep your people from dying, you foolish child!" is the frustrated, and highly unexpected reply. "If you continue on your course without waiting, then you will awaken that which sleeps below the springs and set it on a path of utter destruction, starting with _your home_. Its slumber needs to last another month and three weeks before you act, and then it will be rendered harmless by its own seal! Are you so stupid that you cannot understand this??" Rei's face and voice are anguished as she looks upon Saffron, who seems utterly stunned at this revelation.

"So…you truly are trying to help us?" is the hesitant question.

"Yes, I am. Just because I am who I am does not mean I care nothing for the lives I guide! I am not trying to stop you, Saffron, just trying to delay you in order to keep you from slitting your own throat!"

"You truly are an idiot, kid," Masaya rumbles. "You never thought there was a reason for all this, did you?"

"No," Saffron mumbles reluctantly.

"Now you know," Kalerian tells him firmly. "Are you going to bull ahead despite this warning and get your race slaughtered?"

"I will not."

"You're starting to learn," Kohaku sighs, sounding almost relieved. "I'm glad. Sister, shall we go now?"

"Very well. But remember this, Saffron. There is a reason for everything I do, and while I let you muddle yourself through on your own most of the time, I will not let a stubborn, hard-headed child destroy a people with so much potential. Forget my warning again and the consequences will be dire."

"Like what?" he asks, like the child he is.

"I will let your Thread come to an end, and let the phoenix people have a new ruler. One that is of my choosing, and one with much more brain that you seem to have. Understand, I have that power, and no one of this plane holds sway more than I. Go home, Saffron, and bide your time. You will find the map when you are meant to." And the four are gone in a swirl of dust.

"Let us return home," says Saffron, as if this is entirely his own idea, causing several listeners to face-fault as the small group spreads their wings and takes off, vanishing quickly into the sky. Cologne, who was listening by the door for the whole confrontation, breathes a sigh of relief and pogos to the back room, where a small table has been set up for employee breaks. Hands shaking, the Elder of the Joketsozu tribe of Amazons pours herself a cup of tea and sips slowly, trying to reconcile with the knowledge that Fate herself is taking an active role in the lives of the Nerima Wrecking crew and its acquaintances.

===

"Stubborn," THWACK! "hardheaded," BAM! "arrogant," CRASH! "brat!" Ka-THWACK!

"What is going _on_ back there?" Akane questions the three teens standing guard on the sides of the dojo, as Rei's furious snarls reach her ears. In one hand is her gym bag, in the other is a sports drink--she's here for their thrice-weekly sparring/training session, and she's never heard Rei so pissed.

"You don't wanna know," Masaya sighs, moving to intercept her as she tries to slip by. "Let's just say she's working her frustrations out on things that can't complain." He winces at a particularly fierce "YAH!!" BANG!

"Who got her so mad?"

"You'll find out in a couple of months, shug," Kohaku says wearily. "Can you just…wait out here while she calms down? It's really painful to spar against her when she's this worked up. Trust me, voice of experience."

Kalerian cocks his head to one side, and his eyes go wide. "Rei," he shouts, "watch out for the--!" Splash!! "Springs," he finishes lamely. "'Scuse me, Akane-chan." And he runs towards the back training area. Several moments later he comes back, face red and soaking wet.

"What's your excuse?" Akane asks, guessing that he's seen something he shouldn't.

"Rei beat me to getting her hot water," he mumbles, "and she didn't warn me."

"And you're still in one piece?" Masaya whistles. "Lucky, lucky boy."

"Yeah, I know. I kinda wish Yusuke or Hiei were here. Or Kuwabara, even."

"Why's that?" Akane looks back and forth between the three. Kohaku grins.

"Yusuke and Hiei are the fiercest fighters of Team Urameshi, and Kuwabara is like a walking punching bag. No matter how hard you hit him, it seems, he just gets back up. I think that kid Riku said it best," she laughs, "'it's like hitting a brick!'"

Akane joins the others in laughing, and a calmer Rei walks into view, still damp but seemingly no longer interested in bashing something into powder. "Ryoga's a little like that," Akane says thoughtfully, "but he's much smarter. He's got the best endurance I've ever seen in a martial artist."

"Huh," Masaya chews a moment on his upper lip, "I'll have to remember that. He sounds like a fun sparring partner."

"He is," Rei chuckles, "even if he isn't around that much. And you're right, having one of the boyos here would be nice. I could hit as hard as I want without worrying about anything except collateral damage. Especially Yusuke or Kuwabara."

Akane's eyes go a little wide. "Would you mind giving me an example? I thought you'd been fighting full strength against me."

"In ki-based exercises, about as close as I can, yeah," Rei sighs. "With pure physical exercises? Akane, I can punch the ground and make a hole twenty feet deep and a good fifty feet wide without trying. If I used a single full-power punch on you, I'd likely kill you. That's why we're working on your stamina, remember?"

"How about the rest of you?"

Masaya volunteers first. "Rei's better at ki than I am, but I've got her outmuscled by a long shot. Only reason I'm not sparring her right now is 'cause she'd likely mix her techniques and send me flyin' without meaning to."

"Ki." Kohaku shrugs. "I'm built too light for the whole 'punch through twenty bricks at once' thing. Heh, last time I tried something like that I broke a few knuckles. But I'm the best at ki."

"Says you," mutters Rei good-naturedly.

"I lean more towards ki, too," Kalerian admits. "I have some strength, but I'm better when I don't have to strike my opponent directly."

"I'm the generalist in our group," Rei explains, "I use both and can mix 'n match attacks pretty easily. Yusuke's got stamina like you wouldn't believe, and Kuwabara has--and I mean this quite literally--the strongest pure ki level in the entire friggin' world." A reminiscent smile. "I can whack him all day and he comes out with just a few bumps and bruises."

"Thanks, I feel so loved," a rather depressed voice says behind them. The Urameshi boys walks up, Kurama and Yusuke grinning, Hiei with his usual mildly-disdainful expression, and Kuwabara with those neat little ghostie flames floating around his head.

"Hey, guys," Rei says cheerfully. "We were just talking about you."

"I know," Yusuke chuckles, "I've sneezed so many times in the past coupla minutes I thought I was gonna blow a brain vessel or something." The others laugh and Yusuke grins wickedly at Rei. "So, I overheard you'd like to hit something at full strength for a change. Up for a challenge?"

"What kind of challenge?" Rei nearly purrs at him. Yusuke gives her the playful version of the 'I'm taken' look and grins.

"Full out match against me?"

"Really?" Rei once again shifts into a different personality--this one seems to be the overly-perky one. But she shifts back into mildly grumpy/frustrated after a moment. "Where? You and I both know our attacks cause serious destruction."

"That's why I've been using that cursed forest outside Genkai's place."

"The one that had that idiotic bat-demon thingie?"

A bark of laughter. "Yeah, him."

"Hey, we can make it a real match!" Masaya grins. "We can 'port everyone over there and train Akane-chan in using her ki to track faster-than-light movement."

"Yeah!" is the enthusiastic cheer from the others, and Rei and Yusuke grin at each other and say in perfect unison, "You're goin' down!"

===============

Oooh, this is gonna be exciting! Anybody want to place bets?

Starling: Oh, here we go. Nabiki-mode.

Nah, just a couple fun wagers. Oh, well. Please read and review!


	18. Chapter 18

[to Starling] I dunno, maybe people will start reviewing after this thing's finished. What do you think?

Starling: One can always dream.

You're no help. So be it. I might just threaten to end this whole thing…[gets jumped on by the Elemental Four] Ow! Ouch! Okay, okay! Ow! I promise! I won't quit yet! Ow! Was that really called for??

Kalerian: Just so you know, at least we care. [bonks Niana] So don't go giving up.

It's nice to know that my figments care about me. TT I know a few people that don't get along with theirs.

Starling: Those poor, pitiable people.

I know. [grins while listening to one of her new YYH soundtracks] Hey, everyone, I'm back from Fanime, and you wouldn't believe the LOOT I brought home! Of course, then there's all the loot that I didn't have the money to buy…

Starling: Is that why you owe Patrick so much money and a favor?

Shh! They aren't supposed to know that!!

Starling: Oopsie. ;)

Anyway, I went as Koto (that kawaii fox-girl announcer from YYH Dark Tournament) and my group was really popular. Lots of photo ops (visit Fanime's site if you wanna see! Or was that funimation?) and we even had Shizuru (my friend Tina) and a couple people from other teams. In fact the only one we were missing was Genkai. [sigh] I loved every second of it, but I'm glad to be home, able to sleep in a real bed. The floor of San Jose's Hilton, even with a sleeping bag/swiped quilt, was hard as a friggin' rock.

PS. Please remember, most if not all of the Tarot cards you encounter in this fanfic are totally made up. If curious, please consult your nearest Tarot deck. Thank you. --Mgmt.

Chapter Eighteen: The Trouble with Tarot…

=====================================

Ranma does a double take as he walks down the street, shocked at what he sees. A rather battered Rei and another boy with slicked back black hair--Yusuke? his mind suggests helpfully--yeah, Yusuke, also very battered, are getting helped towards Tofu's clinic by the rest of Rei's 'siblings', a really short kid, a really thick-looking orange-haired guy, a guy with long red hair and the same eyes as Rei, and Akane.

"Jeez, what happened to you two?" he asks, leaping across the street and falling into step beside them. Rei gives him a lopsided smile due to a split lower lip, utterly cheerful despite her injuries.

"Not muth. Me'n Yuthke jutht whapped on eath other for fun, ith all."

"Sparring match that got a bit out of hand," Kalerian explains more clearly. "We had a bit of a frustrating afternoon, and Rei wanted someone to try pounding on, so Yusuke here volunteered. Nice save by the way, Hiei." This last is directed at the shortest member of the group, and Ranma remembers that this boy was also at that disastrous sparring match. "I didn't think you could bend like that."

"Hn."

"Ow! Wouldja watch that bruise?" is the plaintive--and cranky--request from Yusuke to Masaya, who is supporting the boy's far side.

"Well, if you two hadn't gone overboard, we wouldn't have used so much energy shielding ourselves, and we'd heal you ourselves without having to drag you to Dr. Tofu's." Kohaku pokes him in the forehead and he yelps; she hit a tender spot.

"I don't remember feeling any ki spikes. And from the looks of those burns, I'd say Rei used a couple. Where'd you guys go?"

"A temple about an hour and a half from Sarayashiki Senior High." (A/N: I know, they're actually in junior high in the anime/manga, but damn it, I need to tweak it 'cause the Ranma cast is older. Thbbt!)

"How did you get so far so fast?" Ranma asks in amazement.

"Same way we get anywhere that's too far to run," Masaya says cheerfully. "We snap out."

"Huh?"

"Think if it as instant transportation, keyed to a snap of the fingers. Except in this case, with so many people, a diagram of ki and will is needed to direct. Getting us back is what took what ki we had left to spare, which is why we're taking these two to Dr. Tofu. Oh, hi, Tofu-sensei!" The others blink--they hadn't realized they'd walked so far.

"Oh, hello, Masaya. Everyone. What happened to these two?" The question's tone is interest as the doctor ushers them into his clinic.

"Eh, just a bit of rough-housing that got out of control."

"Oh?" Tofu's voice holds only a hint of disbelief and he gestures for the two combatants to be seated on the exam table. He keeps up a running mild commentary while fixing them up, hands blurring with bandages and salves appearing in their wake. Joints are popped back into place, Rei suddenly finds herself holding an ice-pack to her lip, Yusuke holds a compress to a goose-egg lump on his head. "Interesting dislocation there, Yusuke." SNAP.

"Ow!"

"And these friction-burns, Rei. However did Yusuke get these on you so neatly?" "Doctor Tofu, that's rather uncomfor-ow." "Sorry about that." Verbal pause. "I must say, you did a nice job on this arm, Rei." "Dammit, doc, that hurts!!" "Oh, calm down, Yusuke. You'll have it back in full working order in twenty minutes. How did this piece of wood get here, anyway?" "YE-OW!"

"Are you certain this doctor knows what he is doing, onna?" Hiei mutters curiously to Akane, who smiles reassuringly.

"Oh, yes. Dr. Tofu is very skilled. These two won't even know they're hurt in a few hours." A few more sounds of extreme discomfort are made by the two as the spectacled man finishes up and pats both of them on the head like an indulgent grandparent.

"I hope you're on good terms with your escort, you two. I'm afraid you'll need to stay off your legs for at least another fifteen minutes. That's means you get piggy-back rides home. Oh, and Yusuke, like I told you; no using that arm for twenty minutes. Rei, no using that hand for an hour."

"Aw," both chorus in an uncannily similar voice. "But Doctor Tofu--!" "But Doc--!"

"No buts. Otherwise you'll have to come back in here, and I'm sure you'd rather not, right."

A sigh in stereo. "Yes, Doctor Tofu."

The older man turns to the uninjured teens and smiles. "All right, they're all yours."

"Thanks, Doctor Tofu," Rei says cheerfully, half her face hidden by white cotton bandages, the other half relatively unharmed. She gently pokes an intact spot on the side of Yusuke closest to her when it becomes clear that Yusuke isn't going to say anything. "Yuuuusuke…"

"All right, all right. Thanks, Doc."

"Anytime, you two," is the merry reply as Kalerian takes Rei and Masaya takes Yusuke. Hiei isn't trying hard to hide a smug smirk at the Spirit Detective's predicament as the motley group files out, Kuwabara just laughing.

===

"So who won, anyway?" Akane asks suddenly as the group walks--or gets carried--towards the Tendo Dojo, the closest 'refuge' to the clinic. "I didn't catch everything."

Kohaku chuckles. "The fact that you managed to catch anything is a sign of how much your skills have improved since we got here, Akane-chan. These two were moving like sugar-high lightning on speed. Ye gods, Rei, how _did_ you get so fast? You weren't nearly so quick when we trained under Master Yuki."

Rei's grin is somewhat dimmer due to the wrappings, but still gleeful for all of that. "Dad opened up a few of the old 'Secret Technique' scrolls he's had rotting in the basement and let me go over them. A couple of them are like souped-up, over-charged versions of Fury-Claws and Wildfire-Fox. Absolutely brilliant, really."

Hiei gives her one of his classic looks. "I was under the impression that your skill levels are on par with Kurama. Yet you manage to hold your own against the strongest of our team."

"Okay, so I was exaggerating a bit. I'm still not the strongest, though." For some reason her good eye drifts in Ranma's direction. "Besides, I know for a fact Yusuke here wasn't going full out on me."

The boy snorts. "Why should I? You're a girl and you're weaker than me. Ow, watch it!"

"You want to get dumped on your ass, Yusuke?" is the acidic question from Masaya, reshifting his grip on the black-haired boy after jolting him.

"No, I don't! Why?"

"'Cause if you piss Rei off I'm dumping you and running for the hills."

"What?" Yusuke blinks, confused, and shivers at the cold amusement of Rei's voice. The last time he heard her talk like that was when she was giving that Chard guy a going-over.

"Surely you didn't think that _I_ was giving my all, Urameshi."

"What, you mean you weren't?"

"If I were to use _everything_ in my arsenal, I'd kill you instantly." Her voice is icy, emotionless, and utterly matter-of-fact. "Just because I do not have the physical or the spiritual strength to fully match yours, does not mean that I am helpless against a full-out assault. Strength does not always with the battle."

"Geez, you're scary sometimes, Fox," Kalerian complains. "Could you not go all spooky when I'm carrying you?" A sheepish smile, that frozen mask melting away.

"Sorry, Mizu." Kohaku rolls her eyes.

"She's _your_ cousin all right, Kurama."

The fox-ningen contrives to look innocent. "I don't know what you're talking about." The four that weren't there for the talk between the Four and the demon pair of T. U. look confused as everyone else starts laughing. Even Hiei's smirk has shifted into a tiny little smile.

====

A couple days later, on the way to school, Ranma, Akane, and the Quartet are all walking together. For some reason Rei and Kohaku are wearing short bike shorts underneath their skirts. Then again, since they're playing leapfrog with all the boys (Ranma too) up on the fence it's likely the girls have given thought to boys who might try to look up their skirts.

"You know, Akane, you should remember to wear shorts next time," Kohaku tells their groundbound friend with a smile as she springboards off Ranma's back. "That way, we can teach you to fencewalk and all the games to sharpen your skills." She lands neatly on the fence and crouches down for the next player, Kalerian, to bounce off and take her place in the lead.

"No thanks," Akane says regretfully, "but it'd just give those bakas another excuse of some kind. It does look fun, though." Everyone freezes a moment as the sound of the warning bell reaches them. They're still eight blocks from school, with only two minutes to get there. As one, they all crouch down and take off running, only Rei and Ranma keeping to the fence, everyone else taking to the sidewalk in their fast sprint.

Instead of her once-accustomed yell of 'I hate boys' Akane now unleashes on the pack of stupidly-hopeful boys with a joyful whoop, glancing over at Rei once she's finished thrashing them with an expectant smile. "Five seconds!" is the answer as the group rushes inside, trampling over the Hawaiian-crazy Principal Kuno in the process. They make it to their class and slide into their seats just as the bells rings and Hinako-sensei walks in as a teenaged girl. Since Ranma's shutdown of her ki-draining technique, she has slowly been aging into her proper adult--and highly attractive--body. Naturally the boys of the school, excluding Ranma, are ecstatic at the thought. The universal comment from the girls? 'You would be.'

"A new record!" Kohaku whispers to Akane while Hinako-sensei calls role. "Congrats!"

"No talking, please!"

"Sorry, sensei!"

"I assume you all have finished your projects?" A universal groan, rewarded with a wry smile. "That's what I thought. Who wants to go first?"

Reluctantly, the friends raise their hands and are called up to the front of the class.

====

"Hey, Rei-chan! Where are you going?" Kalerian calls when Rei splits off from their group after school and starts heading north.

"To a temple on the north side of town," Rei calls back, turning so that she is actually trotting backwards, effortlessly dodging sidewalk hazards. "I'll be back in a few hours. I think," she adds to herself under her breath.

"Okay!" is the mildly curious reply, and the other wave at her as they go their separate ways. As soon as they're out of sight, she drops the falsely cheerful smile and starts blurring over the rooftops, Hiei's words ringing in her head like an accusation. _"I was under the impression that your skill levels are on par with Kurama. Yet you manage to hold your own against the strongest of our team."_ That had brought her hard back down to reality from the dizzying heights that a fabulous sparring session had sprung her to.

As she runs, bookbag bouncing against her back, she tallies up the techniques she's able to practice now compared to when she first arrived at Nerima, and comes to a nasty conclusion. Since her arrival, she'd unlocked nearly twenty different techniques previously unavailable to her. That was not supposed to happen. At most, five or six techniques should have been hers to use, not quadruple that amount, and that was including the scrolls her 'father' had dug up.

The Tarot Deck, unused for a few days now that the novelty of having an accurate fortune teller has worn off, pulses against her hip in its special pouch in distinct warning. Damn. She'd have to do a reading on herself when she gets to the temple. The running, although not enough to seriously exert her, is more than 'snapping out' would do, and that faint edge of 'tired' will be necessary to do what she plans. Taking a deep breath, Rei increases her speed.

Fifteen minutes later (nearly an hour of travel if you did it the old-fashioned way, like driving) Rei comes to a quiet stop in front of a worn and rather small temple on the wooded outskirts of northern Nerima. She knows the few priests here fairly well, and knows that they will not interfere with her business.

Since she's not paying attention to kis or Threads, she is unaware that Hiei is once again watching her as a cure for his increasing boredom. He has his ki/rei firmly wrapped around him, and is shielding as hard as he possibly can, hoping that this once, he can see what the hell she's going to do.

"Yamato-san?" Rei calls out politely while walking up the worn cobblestone path to the temple's entrance. "Do you have a moment?"

"Ah, Kenobishi-san, welcome back to our humble temple," a round priest in burnt orange robes says cheerfully, coming into view from around the back of the small building. "What services do you need for today?"

"I need a warding circle, Yamato-san," Rei says bluntly, and the cheer vanishes.

"To keep out, or keep in?"

"To keep in."

"How large, at a guess?"

Rei considers, thinking hard about the rough dimensions of her project. "At a minimum, I'd have to say it'll need to cover at least a forty-foot diameter. Maybe a little bigger?"

"Ah," the man nods wisely, "you'll need the use of the Clearing, then, for a circle-ward that size."

"I'm afraid so. Any smaller, and the ward probably wouldn't hold." The two are walking around the building, effectively retracing Yamato's steps. Hiei follows, curiosity eating him alive. The two pass other priests and acolytes, some merely nodding, others being signaled by Yamato and joining the tiny procession, which stops at one of the largest naturally round clearings Hiei has ever seen. In the exact middle of it is a sacred tree, already ringed with protective wards and seals to keep it safe. Rei vanishes a moment from even his awareness and returns a moment later, wearing a simple undyed cotton yukata and barefoot.

She goes and kneels so that her back faces the tree while she faces the entrance to the clearing. The priests all start muttering and chanting and waving incense burners around--giving Hiei the beginnings of a headache--and hanging those odd lightning-shaped pieces of origami on a red silk cord that has already bound all but the clearing's entrance. With a final, unintelligible command Yamato links the dangling end of the cord to the other and hangs one last piece of paper, this one a flat piece covered in complex symbols, most of them unreadable to the koorime.

The ward flows upwards into a dome with a breath-stealing rush of warm air, and Rei nods to the priests as the dome closes above her, shimmering a faint pearl and licked with bolts of purple 'lightning'. Hiei sits back and for a fleeting moment wishes that he had a bucket of that stuff humans call 'popcorn'. This is bound to be an interesting show.

Inside the warding shield, Rei takes another deep breath and smiles. This should do nicely. She should really remember to thank Kami the next time she's called for a session with the Higher Ups for unassuming, incurious priests that can build a ward that even Fate has a hard time cracking. Which is precisely why she's come here.

Slowly, and with infinite care and patience she unravels her energy from the tight spool she usually keeps it in, locked behind her lowest ribs, her own kind of seal on the thing. As it uncoils, she finds the Chaos-eaten cracks and stressed points in that seal's armor, and mutters a quiet curse at the blasted Meddler and his corrosive influence. Hiei _is_ getting an interesting show from his vantage point--another tree, of course. Within the shield, faintly obscured by the ward's manifestation, a long thin rope in the colors of Rei's ki is expanding outwards from her body, filling the empty space in the ward within moments and brushing against the shield, creating sparks that die almost instantly. He wonders if she's simply unwinding her ki to see how much she has, and marvels privately that she has so much and yet he can feel nothing on this side of the ward.

When she feels that she has unwound as much ki as she possibly can without shattering the ward, Rei reaches into the pocket of her yukata and takes out her Tarot Deck, now pulsing rapidly with a dark red energy. "Yes, yes, I know, I should have called you up ages ago," Rei mutters to the irate deck, reaching with one hand to lay them on the soft grass and shuffling them. Automatically her hand sets out the pattern of the fortune, a spiral this time. One by one she flips the seven cards over, and draws her breath in as a hiss. "If I release any more the shield will crack, and yet you want me to seal away _that much_ more?" She flips the last card and grins sheepishly. "In stages, of course. I think all this energy's going to my head." The deck sparks once, briefly, and Rei sticks out her tongue in a childish gesture. "Ehh, be quiet, you."

Hiei is almost willing to swear that a quiet, rather masculine chuckle echoes from the cards as Rei studies the energy she has loosened. "Higher Ups," she mutters to herself while her hands move in a complicated pattern, "I didn't realize I'd been channeling so much power. No wonder I've unlocked so many techniques. This would have screwed everything if I'd left it undone." It? Hiei wonders to himself. What is this crazy girl even doing?

He gets his answer a few moments later as the loose energy suddenly begins to vanish into the thin air above Rei's steepled fingertips. No, not vanish, he realizes a breath later, but changes, changes into a jewel the size of his thumb that glitters with immortal fire. When all the energy is sucked into the newly-formed gem, Rei pockets the stone and repeats the process, forming a second, smaller stone that glitters with the same fire. Holding her breath and bracing herself for the worst, Rei takes the first stone back out and touches the two together, and sighs in relief when the only result is a seamless melding of the two into an even larger stone.

_Kurama'd love to get his hands on a stone like that,_ is Hiei's distracted thought when Rei stands after gathering her cards back up and stowing them safely away. She wobbles a bit, but the wobble isn't the kind Hiei is familiar with, the exhaustion of overworked muscles pushed too far. No, this is a newer-seeming wobble; the unsteadiness of a foal trying out its new legs. Carefully Rei touches the sacred tree and speaks clearly, "Yamato-san, I have finished my work. Please come and bring down the barrier."

Interestingly enough, the summons seems to work, for Yamato comes walking up to the clearing a few minutes later, carrying a sword that positively reeks to Hiei of holy energy. It's nearly giving him hives, trying to cleanse the darkness away from his soul. But he wants the darkness, needs the darkness, if he wants to keep himself safe for another mumble-something number of centuries. The blade gives up and turns its blind attention to the severing of the paper holding the ward closed.

When it is two scraps of paper fluttering to the lush grass, Rei pads out of the circle and sneezes, hard, but fortunately not in Yamato's direction. "Gah," is her complaint, "resealing always sets my allergies on its ear."

"You've resealed, Kenobishi-san? Is there a direct purpose for such a task?" Rei nods, knowing that this is all the questioning that the priest will allow himself.

"Yes, and yes. Unfortunately, by the bindings placed on me by several of our Watchers--" Hiei can _hear_ the capitalization on that one word "--I can't tell you why. Perhaps, if we see each other again in a few months I can tell you then. Agreed?"

"Agreed, honored one." Rei frowns playfully at him.

"Please, Yamato-san, just stick with the 'san' yourself. Formality tends to smother."

"As you wish, Kenobishi-san. Is there anything else you need assistance with?"

"No, I think the ward about covers it. Do you have any messages for the others?"

"No, Kenobishi-san. Thank you."

"No, thank _you_, Yamada-san. Your temple has the strongest wards I know. And that is saying something." The two exchange a few more pleasantries, and then bid each other good-bye, Rei trotting more steadily that a few minutes ago back down the cobblestone path. The whole thing--arrival, warding, transmuting, and the farewell--has taken nearly three hours total.

Hiei waits until she gets a good mile or so away from the temple before dropping in front of her and fixing her with one of his 'looks'. Rei squeaks in startlement, one hand closed in a fist flying at his face--which he easily catches, disapproval in his garnet eyes. "Five hours ago you would've laid me out flat. Now you're no faster than Kurama. What exactly did you do back there?"

Rei tries to tug her hand out of Hiei's grasp and scowls at him. "You are a very nosy demon, Hiei."

"And you do not have the strength to fuel those techniques I would find troublesome." Rei snarls in a very canine way, as good as telling him that this accusation is true. "Are you going to tell me or do I try cracking those shields of yours?" His face is grim--he means every word. "Some very deep water is whirling around you, ningen girl, and it's starting to splash my feet. I want to know what it is before I have to go swimming."

Rei surrenders with a sigh, and Hiei allows her to lower her fist, his slender fingers still wrapped around her wrist. "Do you want the long version, or the short one?"

"Besides length, is there a difference?"

"One makes sense and the other probably doesn't."

"Obviously, the one that makes sense." His eyes narrow as she begins to fidget.

"That's the long version, and I'm not certain how much I can tell you."

Hiei releases her wrist and crosses his arms. "Then tell me what you can."

"That's the short version." He breathes out in an aggravated sigh.

"Just tell me, damn it."

"I had to seal away about sixty-nine percent of my strength because of…well…you know I'm a fortune teller, right?" A nod. "Well, my cards have been screeching about an event that takes place about a month and a half from now that will determine the course of a specific life in this city. A very, very important life."

"And who would that be?" But Rei gets that stubborn look on her face, the one Hiei knows means she's about to turn the tables on him.

"I'll tell you on one condition: you tell me why you let Yusuke's Spirit Gun hit you from behind when you were fighting each other."

"Who told you about that?"

"Koenma. He's got a really nice tape of it, start to finish. And all those eyes in your demonic form are fully functional. You _had_ to have seen it coming." To her surprise, a tiny smile curves those lips, and he almost looks smug.

"I saw his potential. He was going to be more interesting to me if he was alive than if I killed him. After all--" he cocks his head to one side, waiting for her to finish the thought, which she does, reluctantly.

"'A bored demon is a dangerous demon'. All right, I understand. You wanted to know who the catalyst is, ne?"

"Hai." His answer is short, brusque, and implacable.

"You remember that pig-tailed boy that met up with us after the sparring match with Yusuke?" Hiei's eyebrow goes up.

"Him? What was his name--Ranma Saotome, you called him." His eyebrows creep higher. "_He's_ the one you were talking about? But he's a pure-blood human! A mere boy!"

"Funny how us mere human children are capable of so much strength," she says quietly, reminding him of what the jewel she's rolling in her palm contains. "So, Hiei, are you telling me that you're actually precognitive?"

Hiei suddenly finds the undersides of the overhead branches utterly absorbing. "The Jagan Eye grants many gifts."

"And takes away just as much for them, Mr. Ex-'A' class demon." Hiei glares up at her, but jerks his temper under control when her face shows none of the amusement her voice holds. "Checks and balances, Hiei. Checks and balances. You got that Eye implanted for a specific reason, and it took a great deal of your power and sealed it away. Thanks to your training, you're unlocking that power again, but you will never again have full use for as long as you keep that Eye."

"What do you know about my reasons?" Hiei hisses, his hackles rising on the back of his neck. Rei reaches into her pocket without looking and pulls out a Tarot Card: a picture of a slender crowned woman holding aloft a large goblet, the Queen of Cups. A second card is produced, the Death Card upside-down in her grasp but the image of a cloaked man holding a scythe is unmistakable.

"These cards represent two people, the first represents the ice-maiden Yukina, the second, you. Through the cards--" _and your Threads _"--I've seen your connection to her. And don't go jumping to conclusions about the Death card, either. It's not actually death, it's a situation. You've locked yourself away, and this card tells any reader that. You can't let go of who you are or what you have done. And do you know what her card tells me?"

Hiei just glares at her, waiting. Rei sighs and taps his nose with a corner. "This card is the emotionally sensitive female. It means, Hiei, that even if she were to find you of worse temperament and deeds than the elder Toguro, she would _not care._ That is the kind of person she is. She would find more joy in her knowledge than sorrow, if any of that dark emotion at all."

"And you are so right, aren't you?" His reply is sarcastic, but her words seem to shame him.

"More than you are to ever know, Hiei." And she does one of those indescribable shifts back into her usual, fun-loving persona. "Now, shall we get home before it gets dark? I'm sure Mama wouldn't mind if I invited you to dinner."

Giving in, Hiei begins to walk her home; drained as she is from the sealing and the use of her available energy, she cannot simply 'snap out'. "What about the rest of it? What is this event that takes place?"

"Nothing you need to be concerned about, Hiei," is her flat retort. "It involves the residents of the Nerima District, and Nerima alone. Beyond that I can't--"

"How the _hells_ did I end up at Half-Moon Temple??" an aggravated voice shouts from behind them, and the two turn to find a rather worn-looking Ryoga standing a few hundred yards away, glaring in frustration at the battered GPS device in his hand. "Damn it all, you're supposed to get me to the Tendo Dojo!"

Rei grins all of a sudden and pulls Hiei with her behind a tree, pitching her voice to sound like a male. "If you follow the trail for about five miles and turn right on Toya Street, you can probably get there a lot faster."

Ryoga's face lights with hope as he walks towards them. "That'll lead me to Tendo Dojo?"

"Nah, that'll get you to a place called the Cat Café. I'm sure they have directions." Looking a bit annoyed, Ryoga comes around and sees her smiling at him as she says in her normal voice, "Besides, I hear they have a pretty cute waitress there."

"Rei-chan!" Hug. A muffled 'oomph' and a pained 'ouch!' a moment later. Once again, a rumpled Rei gives him a half-hearted glare as she rubs bruised ribs.

"How many times to I hafta tell you? Keep squishing me like that and you aren't going to be getting many hugs."

====================================

Okay, a smidge past six pages is enough for a bit. I have to work out the next couple of chapters. Goodie. You lucky people, I didn't feel like ending on a cliff-hanger tonight.

Starling: You _must_ be tired.

Yeah, even this DDR track Ben burned for me isn't waking me up. I'm probably gonna crash soon. I'll try and get the next chapter out soon, everyone! Ja, and read and review, please!


	19. Chapter 19

[overjoyed smile] I got my first 'or else' threat! [Hangs up review in Hall of Firsts] Whee!

Starling: -.-! Ah, yes, our creator. Easily amused, easily cheered up. [watches as Niana bounces around] I guess I'd better do the review replies.

No, no, I'll do them! [grabs keyboard away from Starling with a really big smile]

****

Pleeai: Thank you very much. It's actually my best try at ookie-bad foreshadowing! (Starling: 'ookie-bad'? Hon, you need to get to bed earlier.)

****

Sasami Tombo: I do try hard to keep my spelling and grammar neat. Some of the fanfic and quiz writers these days sound like they've never gone to school. [sigh] And thank you for my very first 'or else' threat! [hug]

****

Jerry Unipeg: You are my most loyal reviewer. Domo arigatou gozaimasu! [bow]

Before we begin I'd like to mention this chapter has some strong language in it. Reader discretion is advised. Now! On to the story!!

Chapter 19: Illusions Are a Fragile Thing

==============

It's just about a half an hour after Ryoga met up with his sister and the silent Hiei, the sun is starting to set, and Rei is being carried piggy-back [Author laughs] by Ryoga, since she is asleep and Ryoga is taller. Before they'd started walking, the boys had given her a chance to change behind some bushes, so now she's back in her school uniform and shorts instead of the leg-binding yukata.

Ryoga sends the occasional sideways glance at Hiei, who seems not to notice, merely walking in complete silence no matter how many dry leaves they walk over. Finally, the fanged martial-artist breaks the silence, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb his passenger. "I can't remember if I did or not, but I wanted to thank you."

"Why?" is the reply, indifferent as usual but with a hint of surprise and curiosity.

"For helping that time against those men with guns." Hiei cocks his head to the side and looks straight ahead, accessing his memory banks for any mention of armed human Triad men. The memory bank gives him the correct entry, and understanding lights behind those slanted garnet eyes.

"Merely leveling the playing field, as I said," is the short reply. "If someone has to fight with a weapon that gives next to no chance of defense, then they aren't warriors, and do not deserve the chance to fight with one." Ryoga looks surprised at the roundabout compliment, and lets the subject drop into thoughtful silence for a few moments.

"I'd also like to thank you for keeping an eye on Rei-chan here when I'm not around. Much as I'd like to be," he adds wistfully. Hiei gives him another considering look, raising the boy up about half-a-notch in his respect. _He's observant, moreso than most of the others around here._

"I have few allies, and fewer friends. The ones I do have I make sure to keep in one piece," is the shockingly frank explanation on the part of the normally reticent fire apparition, who is firmly looking straight ahead, a tiny bit of blush staining his cheeks red. Or that could be the sunset breaking through the trees as they reach the edge of town. Ryoga gives him an understanding smile and once more falls silent.

Hiei, on the other hand, is thinking about a few irregularities on Rei's behalf, and he's decided he's curious enough to ask. Using his mental skills, he politely 'knocks' on Rei's outermost mental shield. There is the sensation/sound of a lithe body being stretched, of feathers and fur being settled back into proper place with a good shake. The body on Ryoga's back never even twitches. The shield's 'door' opens a crack and the mind's image of Rei peeks out, and blinks sleepily at him.

_"What's up, Hiei? Why'd you wake me up?" _she asks, only half-awake as she slides the 'door' open further, allowing him inside. Hiei takes a moment to observe her mental image of herself, something he does not have much occasion to do. She appears as her youko form, but with one very obvious addition: huge grey wings, currently drooping and dragging on the 'floor' of her mind. Threads, shining silver in his Sight, wrap around her arms and up her calves, even form an intricate circlet around her head, sending tiny sparkles of light reflecting onto the loose sleeveless peasant blouse that is so long it acts as a nightshirt, stretching down to her knees.

_"I have a couple of questions, and then you can resume hibernation."_

"Peachy," Rei yawns, flopping down on air and doing her best to stay awake. _"So, shoot."_

"The boy, Ranma. You've told me about him twice, and it is only after the second time that he remained in my memory. Why?"

An enigmatic shrug. _"He _is_ a Chaos Card, Hiei. Hell if I can predict anything around him. If you have a complaint of having his chaotic aura messing with your memory, then take it up with the Meddler himself, there's nothing I can do about it."_ His reply to that is a monosyllabic grunt. _"Anything else, or can I sleep again?"_

"One more. You told me at Genkai's temple that you knew about Kurama and his past. Yet when we discovered your bloodlines you were totally shocked about it. Was that you being that_ featherbrained, or acting?"_

"Acting," she says promptly. _"We foxes are allowed few illusions, and those we get we tend to guard very carefully. I didn't want to hurt his feelings because I knew his secret. Besides, the looks on your faces were priceless."_ Hiei's reply to that is short, pithy, and succinct. Rei just laughs and shoos him out of her mind again, firmly closing the shield around her thoughts again. Content with the answers he's been given (and he only asked because he stood a good chance of getting answered) he walks the rest of the way to the Kenobishi Dojo alongside Ryoga in companionable silence. Rei's physical body hasn't even so much as stirred the whole time.

_And how's that for multitasking?_ Hiei asks himself, casting one amused, mildly exasperated glance at his openly declared friend.

====

"Anybody want to lay odds on how much longer she's gonna sleep?" Kalerian questions the others, standing around Rei's bed where the girl sleeps, sprawled on her right side, curled like a cat sleeps. She hasn't moved from that position for several hours.

"Are we even sure it is sleep?" Kohaku pokes her friend warily on the shoulder, fully expecting an arm to thwack her in unconscious reflex. Rei doesn't even so much as twitch. Everyone starts to look a little worried; even at her most exhausted, Rei is a restless sleeper and tends to toss and turn for most of the night, making her an uncomfortable companion in a small tent.

"Well, what else could it be? Her ki's still here, so she hasn't gone 'wandering' or anything," Masaya points out logically. "And there's no sign that anything's eating her energy. Resealings wear you out too, Kaze."

"Yeah," Kohaku admits, "but even then I don't sleep for nearly two days straight, afterwards."

"Point."

"So what are we going to do?" Kalerian sighs. "We can't wake her ourselves, and all of us are certain this isn't normal sleep. So now what?"

"How about Yusuke's teacher, what was her name…?" Masaya's face scrunches up in concentration, and Kohaku sighs.

"Her name's Genkai, bakayarou. Which you'd know if you were paying attention when Yusuke introduced us to her before he sparred with Sleeping Beauty here."

"Hey, I was too paying attention."

"Yeah, to that pretty little slip of an ice maiden. You do know Hiei's her official watchdog, right?"

"So?"

"So, o thick one, if you mess with her he's going to take a personal interest in you."

"Oh. Right. Not a good idea."

"Soul-bonds," Rei mutters distinctly, in the tone of voice everyone recognizes as her lecture/studying mode. Attention is jerked back to her, as her lips move in silent conversation. "Soul-mates are…" she adds a few minutes later, and then, "Get it?"

"I don't get it," Masaya sighs. "Where does this girl get her dreams?"

"Same place we get ours, I imagine. I heard you talking about soup bowls just the other night," Kalerian comments as they all raise their hands and snap out.

Several minutes pass, and Hiei materializes on the windowsill, sliding the glass open and slipping inside, frowning and walking over to the still-soundly-asleep Rei. "Where's your soul?" he asks sharply, Jagan eye blazing awake behind the white headband. "Where have you gone off to?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" is the lucid answer, but the tone's all wrong. Instead of the usual teasing, mocking sound such a comment is flavored with, Rei speaks it with almost hurt disappointment. Hiei's gaze gets even sharper, and he pulls up her desk chair next to the bed and settles himself as comfortably as he can.

"Yes, I would," he says calmly. He crosses his arms across his chest, katana held ready in one hand, ankles crossed, body slouched, chin tucked on chest. His ruby eyes shut, and Hiei sends his soul a-hunting on the wings of the Jagan's power.

Two minutes after that, the other three Elementals snap in, with Genkai in tow, Yukina a concerned pale shadow (not to mention a slightly taller shadow) beside the aged psychic. Genkai takes in the sight of the comatose Rei and the shell of Hiei's body, and starts frowning very hard, pinching the bridge of her nose with one hand, the other tucked against the small of her back.

"Hiei, you idiot," is her only comment.

======

"Really, Kami, I need to thank you for those priests of yours," a voice that sounds like Rei, but older, comes from the thick silver mist swirling around him. Hiei blinks, takes in his insubstantial form, and wills himself to move towards the place her voice came from. Nothing. He seems to be good and stuck. "They do a marvelous job with wards and they don't ask a bunch of nosy questions."

"My pleasure, Fortuna," a warm, baritone voice replies from a place near the older-Rei's voice. "It is nice to just do what you need to get done without being pestered. I am glad you found a use for them."

"Fortuna-chan," a voice that raises the non-existent hackles on the back of Hiei's neck insinuates itself from the fog, "You haven't told us what you're planning for the event coming up."

"Mind your own business, Chaos," older-Rei snaps back. "I need tell _you_ nothing, since you're already playing merry-hell with my Threads."

"But they're my Cards," the aluminum-on-teeth voice retorts. "I want to know, we all do. Tell, tell."

"Get bent, you annoying random insect."

"Fortuna. Chaos. Control your tempers here," a calm, powerful female voice commands, and Hiei shivers despite having no body to move. "We are here to discuss and debate, not turn this meeting into a free-for-all back-biting competition."

"If I were going to back-bite I'd use my sharper teeth," both mutter at the same time, and the mist crackles with the force of their glares. That's what the pinioned fire apparition is betting, anyway. He's starting to regret trying to find Rei so quickly. This sounds like a council _way_ over his head and abilities. He recoils in surprise when a massive awareness brushes against him, and reaches a tendril of power out to taste his own.

"Hey, who are you?" the awareness questions in a male-melting contralto full of startlement. "I don't recognize your signature."

Hiei quickly regains his composure. _"I am looking for a friend. We are getting worried, since her soul is not where it is supposed to be."_

"Ohhh, you must be a mortal! How pleasant! And a user of the Jagan! That's makes it interesting! I'm Fortuna's counterpart for the world of Naringall, Lonka. What's your name?" The voice is surprisingly cheerful, and reminds him strongly of Botan.

_"I am Hiei Jaganshi."_

"You're Hiei??" it squeaks in excitement. "Oh, my goodness gracious! I have to go tell the others!" And the awareness is gone, but the mist is disturbed by its passage. Several new awarenesses follow the first back within a couple of breaths, all chattering animatedly about him. He isn't certain when the last time was that he felt so damned popular.

"You're the bond to--!"

"You've mastered the--!"

"You use the--!" And the disjointed comments begin to run together, as the others vie to have their comment or praise heard over the others. Several supremely powerful consciousnesses approach swiftly, two amused, one indifferent, and one extremely annoyed. He thinks he recognizes that last one, but only by the particular taste of the anger displacing the mist. It parts, and finally gives him sight.

He stands a few inches above a marbled floor veined in gold and a glittering black. An open-air amphitheater rises above him, supported on graceful, fluting columns with fantastic images carved into them. He is surrounded by faintly-glowing people, many of them not even close to human, and some not even humanoid. But it's the one standing in front of him, flanked by an old man and two impishly-smiling women, tapping her faintly-illuminated foot on thin air that holds his attention.

"Hiei, you really, really need to start working on controlling your cat side or I'm going to do it for you," an older-looking Rei tells him flatly in extreme exasperation. "Do you have any idea how big a gap this is going to put in your memory?"

"Oh, why not let the boy remember, Fortuna?" This is one of the two women, ruffling the irate redhead's hair. Surprisingly, she permits the affectionate caress.

"Because he's not supposed to know, damn it!" she almost wails the response, as though Hiei isn't ten feet from her. "I've had to blank his memory three times because of his cat-demon blood! None of the others beyond my circle know!"

"So over-write it, and quite whining," a very, very tall man with jet-black hair and gold eyes says, not unkindly. "You can't expect a bearer of a Jagan Eye to just sit there when a companion's soul goes wandering."

"I didn't go wandering," she mutters savagely. "I went to the be-damned Council meeting that _someone_," she glares at an unashamed older male who just shrugs, "set for less than a day after my resealing and forgot to tell me about until the very last friggin' second!"

"He is your friend, Fortuna," one of the others points out, the various appendages that Hiei can't even name undulating gracefully. They kind of look like a fan coral.

"He's _Hiei_," she snarls back, her youko side beginning to show in the line of hair following her spine trying and failing to stand straight up, her aura beginning to spark. "He should know better!" Far away and very faintly, Hiei can hear with his mortal ears someone exclaiming, _"Geez, what the hells is going on?? She's going off like a Roman candle!"_

"Someone," this voice is heavy with sarcasm, _"must've pissed her off. Hiei, most likely."_ The fire apparition identifies it as Genkai, and he briefly wonders why she's with his body.

"No, no, absolutely _not_," Rei snaps at the same black-haired man from a moment ago, the conversation having continued without the mildly confused fire apparition. "None of them know, and none of them are--Hiei, are you using the Jagan right now?" Hiei blinks into the eyes of Rei, inches away and narrowed in concerned suspicion. He nods once, slightly. "Crap. Get your ass back to your body before you dissolve, stupid. You're burning yourself out, and fast."

"And if I don't care to?"

Rei lets out an aggravated sigh, straightening and turning to a earth-colored human-looking male. "Kami-san, if you would please?"

"Certainly, Fortuna. Just don't try and shred him until he recovers from this use." And Hiei is abruptly thrown out of the amphitheater and into his own body, to be swallowed by darkness.

=====

"_YOU BAKA_!" _Whampf._ Everyone watches Rei jerk upright and chuck a pillow straight into a sleeping Hiei's face without bothering to open her eyes first. Everyone had sensed when he'd returned, about an hour ago, and when he'd fallen into an actual, heavy sleep less than a breath later, occasionally twitching with an unpleasant dream. He tumbles off his chair with a pained grunt, wide, startled eyes staring at her. "_Do you have any idea_ how _close_ you came to fucking up nearly _eight hundred years of treaties in_ _five fucking seconds_?????"

Her three soul-sibs stare at her in disbelief. For Rei to use such language, he must've done something _spectacularly_ stupid. She's already off the bed and standing over him, bent over, hands on her hips, fox ears flat, tails (all six) bushed to their fullest, hackles raised, fangs flashing as she rants at him. "And to use the _Jagan_ _Eye_ to go _dimensional hopping_ to boot!! Are you _fucking insane??!_ _WELL????!!_"

"Um, Rei--?" Kalerian flinches when that murderous glare is directed at him.

"What?" she asks in a deadly calm voice.

"Before you rip him to bits, you might want to let us charge him, first," he says meekly, pointing down at the almost cowering Hiei. Frankly, even Yusuke wouldn't be able to blame him at this point. Rei in full fury is a very scary thing. To have her that mad at _you_, well…Rei glances down, actually using her total attention, and softens. Hollows underneath his eyes are dark purple bruises, cheekbones standing prominent beneath ashy flesh. The Jagan is nearly shut in his forehead, and even his hair--which as we all know _always_ seems to defy gravity--is drooping. "He's near drained."

Rei subsides and stalks back to her bed, flopping on it with none of her usual grace, mutters ill-temperedly, "Gomenasai."

"Rei, you need to remember to _think _before you go off like that," Genkai chides in her raven-harsh voice, and Rei blinks, readjusting her senses to register the presence of the legendary psychic.

"Oh, hello, Genkai-sensei. I didn't see you there."

"You know how she is, Genkai-sensei," Kohaku sighs from where she, Yukina and the two boys kneel around Hiei, channeling badly needed ki into him. Already his hair is beginning to fluff up again, and his skin is regaining his normal, healthy light tan. "One-track mind."

"Behhhh." Rei sticks her tongue out at her friend and scowls. "I am not happy with you, Hiei. Not in the very least. You recklessly endangered yourself without even bothering to check my vital signs, didn't you?"

"Your soul was not where it should have been," Hiei mutters defensively, struggling to sit up, and glaring slightly when Masaya helps him upright. "How was I supposed to know where you went?"

"You could have waited until the others came back and _asked_, you know."

"For all I knew I didn't have the time. Your soul could have been stolen, so there." Rei blinks at the childish words, startled. And starts to laugh, sprawling back on her bed, entire body shaking with merriment, tears streaking down her face, arms wrapped around her ribs as though to hold herself together. The others are grinning as well, though Genkai keeps it to a tiny smirk. Rei finally sits back up after a minute or two, wiping her eyes and chuckling weakly.

"Oh…hahaha…I haven't laughed…hoohoo…that hard since Mizu got himself…hahahaha…dyed blue. Thank you." And her personality switches again, this time to the perfectly calm, serious side that makes everyone pay attention. "However, _ahem_, I am still going to have to alter your memory, though thank the heavens, I won't have to totally blank it this time. After all, you did interrupt my meeting with my compatriots--" Kohaku mutters to the others, "So that's where she went!" "--and once again uncovered my hidden identity. For the third time." A reluctant smile. "Something you seem to have quite the talent of doing." A gesture, and that familiar purple-black cord is once again in her hands, as well as a gentle cream cord for Yukina, who by this point has no idea what Rei's talking about but is starting to get one. "You will remember only what I want you to remember until the time comes that my geas is lifted." And those graceful hands move in a familiar gesture…

===

Crap. Now he's got another gods-be-damned foggy spot in his memory. At least this one's only blurred a bit. Something about finding a bunch of Tarot Card representations in the Void…

===

"Hey, Rei-chan!" Akane calls, and walks up to her friend outside of class. The red-head stops and waits, smiling cheerfully at the short-haired girl with bottomless blue-gray eyes. "How've you been? I hear from your other selves that you got into a spat with Hiei."

"Yeah. He went and did something totally stupid, and nearly screwed up something very important quite badly. He doesn't remember much about it, though." Rei shrugs in a fatalistic manner and the two walk into the class. Kalerian and the others wave from the seats they've claimed for the group, since this is one of the few teachers that allows free seating, and other groups snag favored places quick.

"Ano, Rei-chan," Ranma questions politely, something _he's_ been working on lately, "I keep forgetting to ask. My Tarot Card is Chaos, ne?"

"Hai."

"Well, do you mind if I ask about yours?" Rei gives him a dazzling smile that has no effect besides the boundless cheer in it--he's only got that kind of attention for one girl, and it isn't the red-haired girl.

"Of course not." And without even looking, she reaches into the pouch on her hip and pulls out a single card. On it a woman has been drawn, with crimson hair spilling in gentle waves down her back, seated at a giant loom against a background of an hourglass. She wears a green velvety gown that is slit from shoulder to wrist, with only thin strips holding the sleeve together at elbow and the lowest curve of the shoulder muscles. Gold paint has been used to highlight the embroidery at wrist and collar; stylized spider webs. A rose-shaped clip holds the sides of her hair away from her face; rose earrings shine in her earlobes. At the very top of the image, a regular spider web is drawn, a small grey spider sitting in the middle and looking down at the woman. In bold letters of black ink, the words _'The Weaver'_ is written.

"How come you got this? It's the Fate Card, right?"

"Right. I not sure why this one represents me the best, though. Maybe because I like meddling with stuff." Ranma and Akane miss the amused glances the other three send at each other as Rei tucks the card away. "So. Anybody get the answer to question fifty-nine?"

===

It's now after school, same day, and the two living at Tendo Dojo have already gone their own way. Rei walks along the fence, lost in thought, while the other three whisper among themselves. Finally, Masaya looks up at her and clears his throat. Rei jumps a little, but turns her attention to him.

"We didn't get a chance to talk about it yesterday, but you were talking in your sleep again."

"Oh?" One thin red eyebrow goes up. "What was it this time?"

"Something about soul-mates and soul bonds."

"Oh, that," she says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It was a vision, actually. And if the three boys who are hiding badly and the boy doing a good job of it care to come where we can see them, I can actually re-enact the damned thing." Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama appear from somewhere off to the side, and Hiei merely materializes directly in front of them. Rei grins and hops down from the fence. "Much better. So, I'm guessing you're all curious, now. Even those who don't want to admit it." Everyone rolls their eyes at Hiei's noncommittal 'Hn'. "Thaat's what I thought."

"So, come on, Rei, spill already," Yusuke prods, actually reaching over and poking her in the arm. In a flash, she grabs the offending hand and expertly twists, flipping the unlucky Yusuke over her shoulder and onto his back on the asphalt. Rei just smiles sweetly at the angry boy and prances ahead, turning to watch him rise to his feet.

"Oopsie-daisy. Reflex, sorry."

"No, you're not," Yusuke mutters crankily. Everyone just laughs a bit before turning their attention back to Rei.

"Now then. Soul-bonds. Tell me what you think when you hear those words." Kuwabara instantly goes all starry-eyed and clasps his hands under his chin.

"The magical bond Yukina-chan and I share," he gushes, and Hiei looks positively sickened. "We're bound by the red thread of Love forever and ever."

Rei coughs to keep her laughter under control. "Yes, well. That's one kind. There's well over a dozen different kinds of soul bonds, and different degrees for each one. The 'twin' bond is another well-known one, sometimes reaching a consciously telepathic level if it's strong enough. Even enemies can have a form of soul-bond, one that recognizes when the other is within a certain physical distance. What you're thinking of, Kuwabara--" everyone sweatdrops when they notice Kuwabara's still off in his own little world, a couple of feet away and surrounded with sparkles, flowers, and little hearts, "--Kuwabara! Hey! Blockhead dreaming of Yukina! Snap out of it and pay attention if you want to learn something!"

The orange-haired boy wakes up from his daydream and looks around. "Huh? What'd you say, Rei?"

"What does Yukina see in that blockhead?" Rei hisses at Hiei, who shrugs in disgust. "Anyway," she says more loudly, "What you're thinking of, Kuwabaka, is soul-mates. Even that has a few variations on it, and only one of them has the kind of relationship you're probably thinking of." Hiei seems to be contemplating the removal of Kuwabara's head, or something possibly lower.

"So what are some of the other kinds, huh?" Yusuke questions in curiosity. Rei smiles like he'd just given her the straight-line for a joke.

"Soul-mates are people with extremely close relationships, when you get right down to it. One of the other and equally popular versions is the one from the Greeks. They believed that a soul-mate was someone who essentially did have the other half of your soul, but you'd be far too alike to ever even think about being lovers. In the past, to fighters, people like that were known as shield-sibs, because the pair would always know when the other was in danger and would move to protect them.

A third kind is simply one where souls would continue to find each other in every life, no matter where they are, what gender, alignment, or orientation. Sometimes they'll be actual sibs, sometimes they'll be parent and child, sometimes they'll be cousins, particularly good friends, or actual lovers. That's the spectrum kind, and it's one of the most common." Rei grins at everyone, while they try and wrap their minds around such a broad concept. Kurama is the first to recover, and shakes his head with a smile.

"Where do you learn so many things, cousin?"

"I told you, Kurama. You'll find out only if you are very, very unlucky. Got it?" Her cousin shrugs as if to say _it was worth a try_ before sighing and looking at his watch.

"I'm afraid I need to be going, Rei-chan. It's my turn to cook dinner tonight." Kohaku eyes him appraisingly.

"You cook?"

Rei grins. "Very well. He makes this great won-ton soup/pot-stickers dish for my birthday every year, and sometimes I can get him to make it just because." Hiei's smirking at Kurama's blushes.

"Rei, please. I'm not that good."

"Says the guy who makes the food I can eat five helpings of. You need to stop underestimating yourself all the time, at least in the culinary department." Rei playfully pokes him between the eyes as an added reprimand. Kurama rubs the spot and gives her a half-hearted glare, then gives up and smiles.

"I'll try, Rei-chan. Ja!"

"Ja!" And the crimson fox darts off. Yusuke and Kuwabara make their own good-byes and head off in another direction, leaving the Elemental Quartet and Hiei to walk through the Kenobishi front gate. Kohaku drags the boys inside before they can try to use training as an excuse to stall on homework, leaving a bemused Rei and Hiei to watch the boys squirming to get loose until Kohaku closes the door behind her. Hiei glances up at Rei, the nearly-constant curiosity getting the better of him yet again.

"Did you mean all that, or were you just making it up?" Rei gives him a sideways smile full of mischief.

"Heh heh heh. Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" He just keeps staring at her until she chuckles and ruffles his hair. "All right, it was all true, actually. You'd know if you bothered reading as many books on myths and legends as I do." She starts walking towards the dojo, where the sounds of a class in full swing can be heard coming from inside. "And I'll bet you want to know what kind of bond you and I share, right?"

"Hn," is the cool-toned response. Rei just turns her head as she walks, looking hurt.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Hiei gives up and sighs, catching up with her and falling into step.

"Yes, I would."

He's rewarded with a bright smile. "You and I, Hiei, we share a sibling's soul-bond." The smile grows wider. "Or the Greek's version of soul mates."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Come on, Hiei, we've both saved each other's asses more times than I can count. And I don't know about you, but you're way too much like a mirror for me to ever want you for a lover." Hiei considers this, and reluctantly agrees with his trademark 'Hn'.

"We are not perfect reflections of the other," he adds, stopping to look the few extra inches up into her face. Rei stops too, and returns the gaze with full sobriety.

"No, we're not. There is no such thing as a perfect reflection, Hiei, because there's no such thing as _perfection_." Rei smiles sadly at him and resumes walking, but at a slower pace. "But you and I are alike, we can't deny that. I just have more practice at showing my lighter side." She flashes him a cheerier smile.

"Too much practice," Hiei agrees sourly, and Rei laughs, that golden cascade of sound that has Kuno chasing after her with as much enthusiasm as he does Akane and Ranma-chan. ("My crimson vixen! Thou art so fair that my heart doth beat only for thee!")

"That's why I told you 'annoying-pain-in-the-ass' works just fine!"

"And it suits you so well," Hiei retorts with a tiny smile on his face, walking with her into the brightly lit dojo.

================================

Awww! [gets chased by Hiei] Eeeeeeeeeee--[takes a breath]--eeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Starling: You really need to stop antagonizing Hiei, shug.

[Running past] But why? It's fun _and_ I get exercise!

Apollo: Is she getting chased again, sis?

Starling: Yup. [the two wolves watch for a minute or two]

Apollo: Okay this is boring. I know! Hey, Hiei! Kuwabaka's making google eyes at Yukina again! [Hiei stops and chases after Kuwabara, hitting him with a bamboo pole] _Much_ funnier.

Aw, you two ruin all my fun. Oh, well. Read and Review, thankies!


	20. Chapter 20

Oh, today sucked. - Thirty animals boarding is waaaaaaay too many for me to take care of. I hurt all over.

Starling: And to think, you get to do it all over again every weekend until the summer-vacation craze is over.

You HAD to remind me, didn't you, you dratted furball.

****

Sasami Tombo: I wish I had more reviewers like you. You've got a sense of humor like mine. And thanks for the quick English lesson--I can never remember that rule. Yanno, come to think of it, I'd love more reviewers, period. Oh, well.

Chapter Twenty: The Beginning of the Spiral

================

"I still can't believe I'm part fox demon," Ryoga mutters, tugging at one of his inky black ears in resignation. He sits beside Rei in a small room connected to Koenma's office--his sister has decided to bend her rule enough to tell her brother about their shared heritage, including their very active ruler. Unlike Yusuke, Ryoga had actually shown respect to the baby-king--and got the perk of a nifty new weapon: a set of Dragon Knuckles, which are very powerful gauntlets made from dragon scale. Naturally, Ryoga is thrilled and Yusuke…is off sulking somewhere.

"Apparition, actually," Rei mumbles tiredly, "and part fire apparition too, which means if your ki starts breaking out in embers and fireballs and things, you come straight to our dojo. Or get Hiei to find you. He's fire apparition, as well, and if you're nice he might agree to train you." Rei sighs, sprawled on the thick rug and looking utterly exhausted.

It's been six weeks since Saffron made his untimely appearance at the Cat Café, and the Elemental Quartet has been working overtime to get the Tapestry ready for the upcoming clash of powers. Rei's been working the hardest, trying to make certain that _everything_ is going to go according to plan, despite the additions of a Chaos Card and a smattering of Chaos' sub-cards. Her health and energy have been suffering as a consequence.

"You okay, imouto-chan?" Ryoga asks softly, hearing the weariness in her roughened voice; a muffled snore is her reply to him. Having gotten comfortable on the plushy carpeting, sleep has dragged her off into temporary oblivion, will she, nil she. About a breath later Kurama pokes his head into the room, and smiles in sympathy at the zonked-out female.

"I thought I scented you two here. What's our poor vixen been up to these days, anyway? She's worked herself to a wraith."

"Hey, Kurama," Ryoga replies. "If I knew what she'd been doing, I'd tell her to stop. Not that she'd listen though, right?" Kurama chuckles and nods, walking into the room and scooping up the red-haired martial artist. "Maybe we should sit on her and make her get more sleep than she has been. Her other selves aren't much better, really, they're all burning out on something."

Kurama turns serious as he leads Ryoga out into the bustling hall, still cradling a sleeping Rei. "I wish I knew what she was up to."

__

Two hours later…

"I wish I knew what she was up to," Kohaku mutters crankily at the two young men beside her, the three waiting for Rei at her family's Dojo. "She's late."

"Mrrph," a mumble at her elbow makes the silver-eyed girl jump in startlement and look down. A still-sleepy Rei is slumped against the Dojo's outer wall, eyelids half shut and the young woman showing every indication that she's probably sleepwalking. Or else very deep in zombie-mode. Kalerian frowns.

"Hey, Rei, you up to this? I mean, it's not that crucial if we put this off for one more day."

That wakes her up a bit more, enough for a spent glare. "We are not delaying this. The Tapestry's weave is delicate enough as it is."

"Okay," Kalerian sighs, "but it's really going to be bad if you get sick from working so hard." In response, a brightly glowing gem is thrust under his nose, cupped in an irritated Rei's palm.

"You want I should tap this, then?"

"Do what you want, let's just get this over with," Masaya groans. With a sharp nod Rei and the others change into their mature forms, but keep the clothes simple. As one, they raise their hands and snap their fingers, vanishing with a quiet rush of displaced air.

They reappear in a cavern lit by runes carved into the walls, the unknown symbols glowing as surely as any lightbulb, and with just as much light as a seventy watt. On the far wall is a design resembling a compass painted in purples and blues, limned in gold and highlighted here and there with cut gems. Near the floor, about chest-height for the group's average, are four impressions set on the cardinal points of the compass' center. Strangely, they resemble had-prints.

"North, south, east, west," Rei mumbles, dropping once more into a walking trance to conserve energy, "we must choose which path is best. Find your lock, everyone. I want to go home and crash for a couple days."

Wordlessly, the others pace up to the wall and place their left hands onto the impressions. Kohaku chooses North for Wind, Rei South for Fire, Masaya East for Earth, and Kalerian takes the last, West and Water.(!) Taking deep breaths, they send their kis drifting into their palms. The handprints begin glowing, and in unison the four chant the unlocking spell.

"Dawn sun, evening sun, noon sun, night; come to us into the light. You who are the bridge of form and face; come to us and resume your place." And with the sound of complaining stone and cracking seals, the wall slowly sinks into the floor. From the darkness behind steps a figure that is by no means human. Lion-maned and human-faced, canine bodied and scorpion tailed, eyes the color of ruddy gold blink against the sudden brightness.

"Chimera," Rei says quietly, swaying a bit on her feet, "the punishment set by our predecessors is ended. Are you ready to return to the world above, and no longer guard this rocky tomb?"

"By the gods above, you have no idea," the bizarre creature says in a surprisingly melodic voice. "Lay your hands upon me, sweet and gentle Fate, and let me get back on my own two legs!" With a weak chuckle the four adult-bodied teens reach out and rest light hands on the creature's shoulders. A brilliant blaze of rainbow light later, and a slender woman stands head and shoulders above them. Dark violet hair tumbles unchecked down her back, and ancient-styled Chinese clothes flutter in a current of air.

"Freedom is yours, Miss Pu Fu Mei. Just deliver this to the Guide on your way out." Masaya hands the woman a battered scroll, and with a reverent bow the woman sprints off back to the world of sunlight.

"Mind the traps!" Kohaku reminds her with a shout before the Amazonian disappears from view. As soon as the violet-haired woman is gone, all four slump to the ground in their real forms, drained. "I vote we take a nap."

"Seconded," Masaya mumbles. Kalerian nods, Rei already nodded off. "I want sunlight, though. Can we get up to the Guide's hut, at least?"

"Don't care, let's go." Kalerian wraps an arm around Rei's shoulders, and the three barely manage to snap out.

===

"Yusuke, Kuwabara, I can't find Rei anywhere!" Kurama tells his friends worriedly as he walks into their living room at Koenma's palace. The two are in front of a large television, playing a racing game and insulting each other while they're at it. Yusuke's eyes flick to the red-haired fox a moment and he shrugs.

"So? Won't be the first time she's gone poof on us. Why worry?"

"Normally I wouldn't, but she's been working herself down to nothing for almost a month now. She started tapping reserves two weeks ago, and if something tries to attack her now, she has nothing to defend herself with," the ningen-kitsune explains, getting a little more concerned just thinking about it. A snort from the doorway makes the human boys pause their game and turn with the emerald-eyed Kurama, to find Hiei walking into the room carrying Rei piggy-back, her so deep asleep she might as well be in a coma. Three other, slightly taller apparitions walk in after him, carrying the other three the same way and all of them down for the count.

Yusuke's eyebrow goes up. "What's with the nice-act, Hiei? And who're these guys?"

"_I_ keep my allies protected, fool, and these are three of my agents from China. They sent for me when these four popped up under their noses far enough into comas that it would take a force greater than you and the idiot to wake them." The three apparitions, all three with feline aspects, are eyeing Yusuke with trepidation.

("He's not going to try and fight us, is he, cousin?") the one carrying Kalerian asks the small fire apparition in Mandarin, tufted ears swiveling nervously. ("I'd hate to drop the little water-spirit.")

("No, he's not stupid enough for that, thank Kami,") Hiei mutters back in the same language. ("Just follow me and I'll show you where you can put them.")

("Right, boss.") And the three 'pack-mules' troop after Hiei, doing their best not to disturb their passengers despite the knowledge that not even an atomic bomb would wake them at this point. Kurama follows after, still looking concerned, and the two human boys shrug and go back to their game. A few minutes later Hiei and his men file back out again, talking rapidly in unsettled Mandarin.

("You're sure?") The spiky-haired apparition questions sharply. All three bob their heads and bare their fangs in an expression of distress.

("Yes. The demon beneath our territory was unsealed about two hours ago, and then all traces of it disappeared. Guide-san says that the demon was a guardian for the Springs, but that the guardian's term of punishment was over and that the fortunate woman had returned home. When we tried to confirm his story, we ended up finding a very annoyed Amazon woman wearing clothes from five centuries ago laying some serious smackdown on the nearby village.")

("Keep an eye on her, then. No telling if it's just a clever ruse or not. Now get going before you compromise your positions.")

("Aye, sir!") the three chorus, and dart off for the Human World. Hiei turns around to find two very curious human boys staring at him, having decided that he is marginally more interesting than the paused video game. About two seconds later, one of the apparitions sticks his head back into the room and speaks in flawless Japanese.

"Sir, just in case, I'd keep an eye on the red-haired ningen onna, especially. It's my experience that when element/animal mixes wear themselves out that much, they're prone to every little illness." And with a crisp salute the tiger is gone again. Hiei stares flatly at Yusuke and Kuwabara, daring them silently to make a single wisecrack. Instead, Yusuke gets to his feet and heads towards the door leading out into the main hallway back towards the palace gates. One raven-black eyebrow rises a fraction.

"And where are you going, Detective?"

Yusuke looks casually over his shoulder and gives Hiei a lopsided shrug. "I'm gonna go get the ol' granny. She's got enough experience, she can prob'ly keep those guys from gettin' sick or somethin'." A grin. "I don't know about you, but I don't feel like dealing with an edgy Kurama."

Hiei snorts in amused disdain. "What a surprise. You're using your brain for once."

"You are _so_ lucky I'm goin' somewhere right now!" is the annoyed retort from the hallway. Hiei allows himself a smirk before heading back for the cluster of guest rooms the four unconscious teens are in. Kuwabara just sighs in resignation before popping out the video game and picking up the remote control.

"Maybe I'll find a movie on or somethin'," he mutters to himself.

===

Mmph. Damn it, why can't I get myself untangled? All these dratted Threads are misbehaving, the rotten little beasts, won't listen to a word I say. And who turned up the thermostat? It's roasting in here, even for me. I'm tired. Leave me alone. I just wanna sleep for a week. I've got a week. I'll get more time if I zonk out in my workroom. Or I would, if I could get these Threads to behave themselves. Where's Mizu when you need him? This room is so hot. And I ache all over. Oog. Uh-oh. Shouldn't have eaten those garlic fries for lunch…

===

Rei surges out of the depths of sleep and automatically orients in less than a second, leaping out of bed and racing past a startled Kurama into the bathroom. He hears violent retching and a couple of groans, then a weak cough almost covered by the sound of the toilet getting flushed. Eyes brimming with anxiety, he cautiously approaches the open bathroom door and peeks in, bracing for anything that might comes flying at his head out of reflex.

Instead he finds Rei kneeling on the floor, forehead resting on the cool porcelain, the picture of utter misery. Fever-spots stain her pale cheeks crimson, most of her color gone and her hair lying limp down her back. "Shoot me now," she moans when she notices her cousin. "Put me out of my misery."

Kurama just sighs and crouches next to her, gently pushing her bangs out of her eyes and rubbing slow circles on her back. "This is what happens when you work yourself much too hard, Rei-chan," he scolds with gentle firmness. "Kohaku, Kalerian and Masaya aren't nearly as weak as you are right now, and they're still sleeping. What on earth have you been doing to burn yourself out like this?"

Instead of answering, Rei's eyes widen and she tenses. "I think I'm gonna be sick again."

===

"Where's Hiei?" she mumbles a short while later, propped against Kurama as he's sitting against the glass doors for the shower. "I smelled him a while ago, but his scent's fading."

"Hiei went to see what's taking Yusuke so long to find Genkai," her cousin soothes, using a damp cloth to wipe away sweat and to bring her temperature down a bit. But she flinches and bats the cloth away, shivering and pressing against him.

"Cold's bad," she tells him, teeth chattering. "Fire'n c-c-cold d-don't m-mix." With concern bordering on fear, Kurama wraps his arms around her and drops one of his aura shields. Summer heat pours across her skin and slowly she stops trembling so hard against him, although her body heat is nearly level with that of his aura. Hoping she won't need to throw up again, he gently scoops her up and carries her back to bed, tucking her in and grabbing an extra blanket and a handy waste-basket just in case.

"'M sleepy," Rei mumbles as she snuggles deeper into the blankets, eyes already drifting shut. "G'night."

"Good night, Rei-chan," Kurama murmurs, pulling his chair closer and settling in for a vigil. With what telepathy he has, he sends Hiei an urgent message to hurry.

===

"Stupid idiot!" Hiei hisses as he shoves Yusuke into the living-room ahead of him, anger radiating off the slender boy's body. "Playing at an arcade! You do not torture this fool enough, old woman!"

"You're right," Genkai agrees in her raspy voice, walking in behind the furious Hiei along with a tall human-seeming male with mahogany-colored shoulder-length hair and cat-green eyes. Crows'-feet at the corners of those startling eyes reveal a larger number of years than the man looks, but he carries himself as though he's barely twenty. "And when we've got all four into something resembling decent shape, you can help me teach this blockhead the meaning of the phrase 'no pain, no gain'." Yusuke winces, and Hiei stops shoving him, satisfied for the moment. He nods slightly to the new man and turns towards the small hallway leading to the guest bedrooms.

"This way, Ogawa-san." Silent as shadows, the two males walk quickly through the door. Yusuke rubs the back of his neck and looks over at Genkai, wanting a bit of reassurance.

"So, this Yuki Ogawa guy. He's good?"

"The best, moron," Genkai tells him, not unkindly, though still annoyed at the fact that while she went to get the man, her student was playing in her game-room on one of the mundane games. "The fact that he's those four's teacher doesn't hurt, either. She'll trust him much faster than she trusts me, and that's saying quite a bit."

"Hey, Urameshi, gimme a hand in here, wouldja?" Startled, the black-haired boy walks through the same hallway and takes a left into Masaya's room. Still asleep, the blond-haired boy stands in a defensive posture, fists up and ready to strike. Kuwabara stands several feet away, sporting a couple new bruises and a black eye.

"What's goin' on, Kuwabara?" his friend questions in curiosity. Kuwabara just scampers behind him and peers over his shoulder in an unabashed display of cowardice.

"I came in here to check on this guy, and he was shadow-boxin' while still sleepin'. I tried to get him to go back to bed, but he ain't listenin."

"Ahh, you dummy, ya just gotta know how to handle this," Yusuke grumbles at his friend before walking over to Masaya. "Ding-ding! Match goes to Masaya Ichigaki!" Wearing a silly grin--still asleep--Masaya slumps against Yusuke and starts snoring quietly. With a grunt of effort, the Spirit Detective picks the sleeping boy up and carries him back over to the rumpled bed and plops him down with relative care. When he turns around, he feints at Kuwabara and chuckles before strolling out.

He turns right and then left, walking into the first guestroom, where Yuki is leaning over a lump of blankets. Genkai is standing a foot or two away, and Kurama is practically hovering nearby. Yuki's hand is glowing a soft mossy green as he passes it back and forth over the lump--Rei, Yusuke supposes--before sighing and rubbing at his temples.

"I've never seen her this tapped out before. You say she started working this hard over a month ago?" he asks Kurama in concern.

Kurama nods. "Yes. And I could sense her using her reserves two weeks ago. But she refuses to tell me what she's been doing."

"Yes, well," the man sighs in resignation, "I've got a good idea what she's been up to. It's too bad I've been sworn to secrecy by people higher that Koenma on the food chain, or I'd ease your mind on the subject. Help me unbury her, would you please?" With gentle hands, the two males peel back the blankets, accompanied by a few complaints from the sleeper as she tries to pull them back. "Rei-chan, kindly _let. Go._"

"Yessir," is the mumbled reply, and Yusuke smiles as she lets go and sits up, blinking drowsily at the brown-haired man. "Wha're you doin' here, sensei?" she asks in a sleep-rough voice, pushing her hair out of her face with fingers that shake with exhaustion.

Yuki smiles in admonishment. "When one of my peers informs me that four of my students are passed out from overwork at Koenma-sama's palace, I am not going to just sit at home. Now take a deep breath and hold it." Obediently, Rei inhales while Yuki places his palm just under her collar bone and closes his eyes, listening intently. "Exhale, inhale again," he says a few moments later. This time he frowns as he listens before letting Rei lie back down.

"So what's up with her?" Yusuke finally asks in a low voice, making Kurama jump and whirl to look at his friend with wide leaf-green eyes. Yuki simply shakes his head and cups his hands, palms down, over the already-asleep Rei's torso.

"She's managed to catch pneumonia, is all, the silly chit," he replies calmly as that moss-colored ki pours from his hands to be absorbed by the girl's pale skin. "A bit of a power boost and her body will take care of the rest pretty quickly. She's just worn out and down to the dregs of her own power. See? She's doing better already."

Indeed, as Yusuke and a very relieved Kurama can see themselves, Rei's color has improved greatly while her teacher has been talking, her hair starting to shine again. A faint hint of ruby surrounds her, pulsing gently with her slow, even breaths. Yuki keeps charging her for a few moments longer before lowering his hands and tucking them into his jeans' pockets with another admonishing smile.

"Sit on her if you have to, but make sure she keeps resting for a couple more days, just to be on the safe side. Oh," and he chuckles, "you might want to get her something to eat while you wait for her to wake up. She's going to be starving when she does." He turns to Yusuke and gives the boy an easy-going grin. "So, can you lead me to my other students so I can recharge their batteries before they pull a Rei?"

"Yeah, sure." And the two saunter out. Kurama settles back into his chair and looks over at Genkai, who is watching the rise and fall of the replaced blankets with some apprehension.

"Genkai-san? Is everything all right?"

The eyes she turns to him are grim, and filled with every moment of her long life. "For now, yes. I'm just wondering how long things will stay that way."

"Ma'am?"

"There's only one thing that would make her work this hard, kitsune. Something big is coming that she can't stop, and she's trying to make sure it doesn't blow up in everyone's faces." An age-filled breath and the elderly psychic turns and starts walking out of the room. "She probably won't care what it is, but the cafeteria's still open. I'm going home before my blockheaded apprentice drags me somewhere else." And she's gone, leaving Kurama to decide whether or not he'll be able to stand leaving Rei alone long enough to get her something to eat. With an uneasy glance at the lump beneath the blankets, he rises and slips out.

===

_Two days later…_

"Geez, you'd think I was made of glass the way the guys have been acting," Rei grumbles half-heartedly in irritation as she walks up the stairs towards her room. She's getting quite tired of the solicitous attentions she and the other three Elementals--especially her--have been getting from Koenma's boys. The only one who hasn't been treating the four healers like they'd collapse at any moment is Hiei, and even he gives them uncertain looks once in a while. "I swear, if someone else offers to open the door for me one more time I'm gonna smack him so friggin'…" she trails off when she opens the door to her room and steps into her workroom, to find everything a shambles. "Hard…" she whispers in disbelief, staring at the carnage of her once-neat workroom. The lamps have been ripped from the walls and shattered, glass scattered over the soaking rugs; the spinning wheel lies ruined and in several pieces by the window; the loom is battered as though someone _tried_ to destroy it as well, but had to settle for the anchor threads and the weaving upon them.

The Tapestries on the wall remain untouched. But the piece that lies on the loom…Rei swallows hard at the sight of the mangled weaving, praying that it's not too late to save the souls of those whose Threads have been cut. With a formless mental cry of anguish and rage heard only by the three who share a link with her, Rei rolls up her sleeves and gets to work digging her portable spinning wheel from its undiscovered trunk.

======================

Hah! Gotcha! I'm actually not leaving it there. I'm so nice to you people. [gulps at the sight of many people carrying lynching tools] Eh-heh, back to the story! Yipes!

======================

"Rei?" Akane can't believe how angry her friend looks as the red-head walks into class the next day. "What's--"

A hand is clapped over her mouth and she looks up to find a very frazzled-looking Kalerian shaking his head. "Don't…don't talk to Rei right now, okay, Akane? Someone trashed her room and she spent all of yesterday cleaning it up. She's so pissed right now I'm surprised she ain't shooting sparks, and it's not safe to even talk with her. So just…stay clear, okay? At least until she calms down." He waits for her nod of understanding before letting go and sliding into his desk chair. The timely warning is reinforced when Daisuke, one of Ranma's friends, starts hitting on her, oblivious to the look of rage. Rei hits on him back, literally, and practically embeds him into the wall.

Ignoring the whispers and the looks of fear aimed at her, Rei takes her seat and sits silently through class, vibrating with suppressed fury. A the end of the day, she still hasn't spoken to anyone, made two more stupid boy-imprints in walls, and she stalks off towards home with the air of an insulted feline. With a brief wave at Ranma and Akane, the other three Elementals run off after her, obviously intent on being damage control for the furious martial-artist.

"So what's up with Rei, Akane?" Ranma asks as the two walk home slowly, side by side. Around Ranma's wrist a sparkling silver wire is twisted into a surprisingly masculine bracelet. Looks like Rei's finished testing the curse-proofing spell.

"Somebody broke into her room and trashed it, apparently. Mizu says that she spent all of yesterday cleaning it up. I'd've asked Rei if she wanted any help looking for the vandal, but.." she gestures helplessly. Ranma nods in understanding, since he's sparred against Rei a time or two while she's been here.

"Ready for today's first Advanced class?" He changes the subject to something safer, and Akane nods in excitement.

====

"When I find the bastard," Rei mutters as she works in her pocket dimension's clearing, "I'm gonna slice him into chunks, pound those into dust, and burn what's left over. Nearly a hundred Threads broken or cut! Nearly a hundred souls that almost vanished forever! How in the nine circles of Hell did they get into my workroom, anyway??" The last replacement is being spun as she snarls to thin air, practically crackling as she rants to Kohaku, who has already finished her own final replacement Thread and is transferring the recorded data on the broken one to the whole. With a faint pop, the colors vanish and reappear on the moon-white length. Sighing, Kohaku coils it up and places it on the pile to be rewoven into the current Tapestry.

"Probably had some cat in the bloodline, somewhere," the white-haired girl replies laconically, picking up the basket holding the new Threads and starting to walk inside. "You want these set into the pattern?"

"Please," Rei calls back, making an effort to wrench her temper back under wraps. Letting her breath out explosively, she tilts her head back and says loudly, "I'm sorry for being so snappy, guys."

"You should be snappy," Kalerian calls back, busy putting water in the new lamps. "This is a lot of extra work for everyone, and we have very little time to make sure that the replaced pattern is correct. I'm pissed off, too."

"Yeah, well, your 'pissed off' ain't much different from anything else," Masaya teases his friend as the gold-haired young man walks past with a bucket full of glass shards. "Unless somebody really ticks you off, right?"

"Right." Kohaku smiles briefly at them as she walks past them to the newly-repaired loom, and begins placing Threads across the pattern according to Rei's directions on their shared link. Out in the grass, Rei closes her eyes and directs.

_-Little to the left, Kaze. No, right--yeah, right there. Set it down. Great.-_

-Where's this one go, Kasai?-

-Ehhhm, that one goes right next to Ryoga's Thread. He's the depressively blue-colored one.-

-I know what his looks like. Higher Ups only knows we've handled that Thread often enough these past weeks.-

-Heh, no kidding. You know, it's a good thing this is a soul link, or we'd have a hell of a time trying to keep Hiei from noticing.-

-Bite your tongue, Kasai,- Kalerian retorts playfully. _-The name summons the attention, remember?-_

-Heh, heh, gomen, Mizu.-

-Kasai, where do you want me to put this glass?-

-Over by the window. I can use the shards for an art project.- "Hey, Koudo, why didn't the wards go off when the bastard snuck in?" Rei calls, switching to her real voice.

"Dunno, Kasai. As far as I can tell, he disabled them all and then put them back up correctly. Damnedest thing."

Rei sighs and picks up the completed Thread, already glowing with all the lives this particular soul has lived, and walks inside to put it in place. "Four more days before all hell breaks loose, everyone. Let's make sure we're ready."

=======================

(!) These are the correct elements for the various cardinal points if I remember correctly. And if I haven't, well, they make more sense this way. [grin]

Okay, this is actually the end of this chapter. I'll try and get the next one up pretty quick, since we're entering the home stretch. Please read and review, everyone!

****

Next Chapter: Map to Anywhere. See you there!


	21. Chapter 21: Map to Anywhere

Yay! A new reviewer! Whee!

****

**Bokuden:** The characters from DBZ are going to be passive reference for the most part, bit characters at best. In fact, in the entire story they get about one paragraph, and it's solely Goku and Gohan. So don't fret! [impish grin] I prefer Ranma and YYH, anyway. Thank you very much for reviewing, and please remember, this is a fanfic. A writer named Jeffrey 'Oneshot' Wong has Ranma go through so much he even ends up being God for a little while. (_There's_ a scary thought for you…¬.¬! ) Last time I checked, he had around half a dozen animes crossed into his 'Just Won't Die' series. Gods, but that took forever to read all of it.

Starling: Now if we can just get past the record of three reviews for one chapter, we'll be doing good. [looks over at Niana, who is surrounded by sparkles] Ah, my creator. The eternal optimist.

Chapter 21: Map to Anywhere

============================

__

"Small spider weave on silver sleeve;

Oh weave your grey web nearer.

Let your silk hang down from golden crown;

For lost, lost, lost is the wearer."

From Spindle's End by Robin McKinley

Cologne stares at the package just delivered in the mail with utter disbelief. Nestled in a tube postmarked China and with brown paper packed around it is a scroll made of very heavy, almost oily parchment painted on with natural dyes. Shakily she unrolls it, and her breath quickens with a hint of fear.

Spread on the table before her is a map. And not just any map. A map that is not supposed to exist. It is a map that charts out every single trap and monster guarding the path to the source of Jusenkyo. She jumps at the sound of the doorbell and hastily rolls the map back up with a flick of her staff, tucking it into her robe's pcoket-space and pogo-ing up to the front.

A rather annoyed Rei is all that meets her eyes, the girl busily tying her apron on and binding her hair back into a severe braid. There is a faint scent of burning wood around her, like a new perfume or as though she's sat downwind of a campfire for a while, and Cologne recognizes it as the scent of suppressed rage. One snowy eyebrow goes up.

"If you'll excuse the phrase, Rei dear, what's gotten your tail into a twist this time?" For some reason those emerald eyes flick behind her in a reflexive gesture before the girl's shoulders rise and fall in an enigmatic shrug.

"Someone decided to turn my room into a war zone. It took me a total of two days to get it cleaned up, and I've just finished repairs. Luckily I had the others to help me." With a final, vicious tug at the end of her braid Rei scoops up a few menus and goes to wait by the door for the first trickle of the afternoon rush. Cologne makes a decision.

"Rei, would you come into the back room with me for a moment? Xian Pu can take care of the customers for a few minutes, I should think." Startled out of her anger for a moment, Rei sets her menus down and follows the diminutive woman into the back. She seats herself at Cologne's imperative gesture and gazes steadfastly at the Amazon Elder. Without any flourishes, Cologne draws the map from her pocket-space and unrolls it on the table.

Rei's turn to make a decision, and she gives in to the temptation. "So the Guide got it to you in short order, I see. Always nice to have people obey your orders," she says dryly, tracing a purple compass-mark near the end of the dotted line with a delicate fingertip. Cologne's eyes, already round enough as it is, get even wider in disbelief.

"You?? You are--"

"Elder Ku Lon, I would appreciate it if you would _not_ shout that particular title of mine to the entire city block," Rei interrupts coldly before that word can be spoken. "The Meddler's agents are everywhere, and it's difficult enough to guard against their interference as it is. Yes, I am Fate," she adds more calmly, quietly. "Yes, I was the one who confronted Sa Fu Lon on the walk six-and-a-half weeks ago. I came here specifically because of this." Her fingertip taps the map beneath her hand lightly, making a slight _tik-tik-tik_ sound. "Or rather, what would happen because of this."

"And what will happen?" Cologne asks, regaining her wits and her composure in a remarkably short amount of time.

"If the catalyst fails?" Rei stares off into the space above Cologne's head, seeing in her own mind what her deck and the Threads have told her. "It will be the end of Jusenkyo, the end of the Amazons, and a large number of martial artists who are going to be needed even more about two to three decades down the road. But if the catalyst, against all odds and hopes, actually _succeeds_; it will resolve quite a number of loose threads--" her mouth twists wryly at the unthinking choice of words "--here in Nerima. And the focus of it all is a single, fragile mortal." She snorts, rolling the map back up and handing it to Cologne with a slight bow. "Although he'd be very put out if I called him fragile to his face."

She rises and walks for the hallway, to be paused by a dread-filled question. "Who is the catalyst?"

Rei looks over her shoulder with an expression of keen disappointment and disapproval. "Elder Ku Lon, if you have to ask me _that_, then you obviously have not been paying enough attention to the people around you. I should think you know _exactly_ who I'm talking about." And she walks out, the scent of burnt wood--a rough guess would be pine--wafting through the air around her once again, now that the distraction of the map has been dealt with.

Cologne sits down hard in the chair that Rei has just vacated, a hint of ancient power that feels as though it has passed through many hands--though how the Elder can tell that, she is unable to explain even to herself--still clinging like cobweb to the wood, and just stares at nothing while trying to come to terms with these new revelations.

("I cannot believe it,") she murmurs to herself in Mandarin. ("That Fate is working as a waitress is plausible enough--this _is_ Nerima, after all--but that so many people depend on that reckless, stubborn, brash boy? Can so much truly hinge on Son-in-law??")

===

"At-choo!" A certain pig-tailed martial artist sneezes violently, causing the short-haired girl beside him to look over with mildly curious brown eyes.

"You okay, Ranma?" Nabiki questions him as he rubs his nose and returns his attention to his homework. He'd get this math thing if it kills him, damn it.

"Yeah. Prob'ly just someone talkin' about me again. Do you know how to solve this one, Nabiki?"

===

"How many days?" Cologne asks Rei when she finally emerges from the back room into the bustling dining room. Green eyes meet…erm…old eyes grimly. [Starling: does she even _have_ an eye color?]

"Counting today, we have three days left before Sa Fu Lon comes for what the Guide gave you. Whatever you do, do not give it to him willingly." Somehow, Rei has managed to pitch her voice so that it only reaches Cologne. When the tiny old woman raises a questioning eyebrow, the corners of Rei's mouth turn upwards ever-so-slightly. "Anything-Goes School of Ventriloquism. Useful, I've found."

===

Back at the Tendo Dojo, the now-much-busier phone rings once, twice, thrice, and is picked up by a changed Soun. Gone is the air of apathy he once wore as a ratty cloak. Now, life glows in the depths of his eyes, and the man stands much taller than he did less than two months ago.

"Tendo residence," he says into the receiver. He listens a few moments to the person on the other end, and begins to look concerned. "I understand. Now here is what I'd like for you to do…"

===

"Showtime," Kohaku whispers to Masaya from their crouch on the rooftop of the building across from the Neko-Hanten. Two days have passed, and Saffron and his crew have arrived, never noticing the two young teens kissing on the roof (The two had actually been fighting over the last piece of jerky like a couple of pups). Masaya nods sourly, watching his friend chew on the jerky with an air of concentrated pleasure despite the seriousness of the scene below. Rei is in their heads, keeping them informed from her place beside Cologne.

_-Okay, brat's telling her how his informants have tracked the map here. I want to find out who he's using for informants, they're almost as good as Nabiki's…-_

_-Info, Kasai! Keep your mind on your work!- _Kalerian jerks her back on track. Embarrassment colors her thoughts dark pink.

_-Gomen. Brat's demanding the map now, Ku Lon's refused him. Cue Ranma!-_ Kohaku tugs lightly on the brilliant cerulean blue/orange Thread wrapped around her fingers, sending a silent call out along its metaphysical length. Ranma appears at the end of the street, sauntering along, and catches sight of the Cat Café. Since Shampoo's cut back a bit on chasing him, he's been more inclined to stop by for a meal now and again, which makes Shampoo perfectly happy to stop chasing him if this is the result. _She still glomps me now and again_, though, Ranma thinks sourly as he walks inside and winds up face to face with Kiima.

Blink. Blink. Ranma peers around her to find a rather edgy Cologne and a perfectly calm Rei--who still looks like she wants to slam her serving tray down on Saffron's spoiled head. Shampoo is on the other side of her great-grandmother looking defensive, and Mousse is beside her, hands tucked in his sleeves and no doubt running fingers over the multitude of weapons he has stashed in them.

"Hey, ol' ghoul, who're these bird-brains?"

"Show some respect, Son-in-law," Cologne tells him tersely. "You stand in front of the Emperor of Phoenix Mountain."

"Uh, who?" Ranma questions blankly. While everyone else stares at him in disbelief, Rei catches his eye and taps her right bicep. Right where Kalerian carries a feather-shaped scar. Understanding lights in his smoke-colored eyes, and he glares around indiscriminately. "Oh. Now I get it. The idiot who got one o' my best friends nearly killed. So where is the idiot so I can flatten him?" Rei rolls her in a 'now you've done it' gesture as a slightly-taller Saffron pushes through the wall of body-guards and stares fearlessly up at the much bigger and upset martial artist.

"I am Emperor Saffron, ruler of Phoenix Mountain," he pipes in his serious voice. Ranma rakes him up and down once or twice with startled eyes before he bursts out laughing. He abruptly stops to dodge three of the bodyguards' strikes.

"Hey, now, can I help it if your king's a pipsqueak?" Rei bows her head with a rather large sweatdrop dangling by it. Things are going about what she expected, but to have it actually happen is kind of painful to watch.

"Do not insult our god!" Kiima snaps at him, brandishing a sword and giving him a death glare. Ranma's eyebrow goes up.

"God? Psh. Yeah, right. No such thing." And he carelessly walks past her over to Rei and gives her puppy-dog eyes. "Reii-chaan, I'm staaarving! Feed me, pretty pretty please?" Rei gives him a hopelessly amused/exasperated smile while the Phoenix people face-fault and restrains herself from twitching and 'accidentally' smacking the baka upside the head.

"For pity's sake, Ranma, act your age. Come on and follow me into the kitchen. Higher Ups forbid you go and stick your foot in your mouth again before we get food into it. (Elder Ku Lon, you will be alright?)" she adds in Mandarin as she pushes Ranma ahead of her into the kitchen.

("Just fine, Rei. Get him out of here before he does something even more stupid.")

"Hai." And the two disappear into the kitchen. Cologne turns back to Saffron and bows while still balanced on her staff.

("My apologies, Emperor-sama. Son-in-law is not accustomed to showing respect to anyone.")

("Arrogant little prick,") the boy-king mutters to himself, hardly paying attention to the white-haired woman. ("Who is that?")

("That's my fiancée, Emperor Saffron, sir") Shampoo says with pride. ("He's defeated me more than once and has learned every technique he's set his mind to in under a week.")

("I wouldn't be so pleased about having a fool for a husband, silly little Amazon,") Kiima replies sharply. ("Now about that map, Elder Ku Lon.")

("I'll tell you again, you are looking in the wrong place. I have no map leading to Jusenkyo or its source.")

("Our agents tracked it here. They dare not lie.")

(Perhaps they and you have been misinformed. I repeat: I do not have the map you seek.")

("Very well, Elder Ku Lon. We will take our leave. If you do come across such a map, do let us know,") Saffron commands before turning and leaving the building. Once he and the rest of his party are outside, Rei pokes her head around the kitchen door and lets her fox-apparition side sharpen her hearing, which results in her human ears suddenly having points.

Putting a finger to her lips for silence, she listens to the boy-king's orders to his followers. ("Kiima, you stay here and spy on these stupid ningen. They have the map, I can sense it. Everyone else, it's time we go home. I do not wish another encounter with that Fate-woman if we are a day or two too early.") Kiima bows and vanishes into the shadows, the rest of the Phoenix people take off into the skies. Rei sighs quietly and lets her ears return to normal.

"Kiima's outside listening, Ku Lon-san. Now?"

"Now, Rei-san." Wordlessly Rei signals to her other selves up on the rooftop and in the kitchen, Kalerian having kept Ranma quiet by the simple means of giving him food and pretending to be a temporary cook while Shampoo's father was off on a trip.

Three teens materialize in the dining room of the Cat Café, as serious as Rei and for all the same reasons, all three on one knee, balancing with the opposite knuckles, heads bowed. "Your orders, Rei-san?" they all chorus. Rei once again falls into the silent and untappable channel of telepathy only these four teens share. But for the sake of Kiima, still spying outside, she uses a completely nonsense language of hand-signals.

_-Mizu, I want you to track the little bird outside. She's not going to give up easily and I want to know just what she can use to communicate with her lord.-_ Kalerian nods and snaps out, a whirl of air swirling where he stood. _-Kaze, I want you to follow after the bird-king, keep track of him. Muddle communications if you can.-_ Kohaku bows her head further and vanishes, leaving only Masaya before a Rei who has drawn her power around her like a cloak. "Horse, you and I are going to go to the map's hiding place and draw it out, so I suggest you change. Ku Lon-san, we will be back shortly." She snaps her fingers, but instead of disappearing, her clothing bursts into smoke and reforms into a wine-red ninja's costume, without the face-concealing mask and dancing the razor's edge of clashing with her crimson hair. Masaya has already changed into a green version of the costume, and he rises and bows to Rei.

"When you are ready, Rei-san." Rei nods sharply and they dart out of the Café, startling Kiima when they look directly at her hiding place as they pass and taking to the rooftops for the sake of speed. With a glare Kiima leaps after them, folding her wings against her back until they vanish into the bird-folk's own version of the pocket-space, her clawed hands of no concern of hers.

Ahead of her, Rei pulls out a small walkie-talkie and turns it on, holding it up to her mouth. Kiima strains to hear what the accursed human girl says, but it's impossible. She would have been furious if she had heard. "Mizu, did she fall for it?"

"Hook, line, and sinker, Rei. She's looking mighty miffed that she's had to debase herself by following without flying," is the amused reply from the walkie-talkie's speaker. "Ku Lon's already gathering the other fighters from around here and is handing out pieces of the map and explanations."

_-Kaze?-_

_-Hells if _I _can tell what he's using. They might have a link like ours for all I know. Try using a Thread or something, sister.-_

_-I'm not resorting to that until I absolutely have to, Kaze. Keep trying.-_

_-Hai.-_ The three others can feel Kohaku seal her end of the link shut, effectively closing them out for the time being. A few moments pass with nothing but the sounds of their passage.

"Breaker, breaker," Kalerian says jokingly from the walkie-talkie. "Rei-chan, you hear me?"

"Hai," Rei says. "Been listening into the trucker conversations, I see."

"Heh-heh, yeah. Ol' ghoul's--ow!"

"Show some respect to Ku Lon, baka," Masaya tells the water-fighter after grabbing the walkie-talkie from Rei. "At least while you're in range of that staff. So what's up?"

"Ow, geeze, that woman packs a whallop," is the pained mutter before Kalerian speaks louder. "Elder Ku Lon--see, happy?--has finished handing out the goodies and is waiting for your return. My shadow-self's still tailing her pretty close, so I can still see the chicky-brained ijit--ouch! That wasn't directed at you! Ow! Rei, hurry up and get this evil spirit away from me! Ow! Ouch! Over."

Laughing, Masaya looks over at his running companion and grins. "Guess we better go rescue the 'ijit', huh?"

"Right," Rei laughs, and the two drop down to street level long enough for Rei to use sleight-of-hand to make it appear as though she'd pulled an ancient scroll from a hidden space in a brick wall. Neither hole nor scroll is actually there, and only adds to the pair's amusement when they flash past an utterly-fooled Kiima, racing each other back towards the Neko-Hanten.

By the time she arrives, puffing and hot, back to her first hiding place, all Kiima sees are Rei, Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse sitting quietly in the dining room, sipping tea and playing a game of Mandarin Scrabble. Kalerian is slouched in a chair next to Rei, pouting, several bandages covering welts on his head. He shoots an occasional dark glance over in Cologne's direction, or possibly the staff leaned against her chair.

Kiima can't take it anymore. With an angry screech, she stalks into the dining room and confronts the five, glaring indiscriminately around her. "Where is it??" she demands furiously. Rei simply takes a sip of her tea and smiles, leaning back in her chair and tipping her head over the low back, ending up looking at the winged woman upside down.

"Where's what, Kiima-chaan?" she drawls lazily. "Oh, you mean the map."

"Yes, I mean the map you arrogant little ningen onna! Now give it to me before I rip you into pieces!" She ignores the doubtful snort from Kalerian and the 'yeah, right' looks from the Chinese teenagers. Rei simply smiles, still with her head angled all the way back.

"I'm afraid we don't have it anymore. It's in pieces all over the city. We want to know if you can find them."

"Hell," Kalerian mutters, "I want to know if she can _get_ all of 'em. Doesn't do her much good just to find them."

Confused, her mantled wings lower of their own accord and she looks at each of them. "What _are_ you fools talking about?"

"Oh, you'll love this, Kiima-chicky," Kalerian says, dodging another swipe from Cologne's staff and glaring at the tiny old woman. "We gave bits and pieces of that map to every single martial artist in this entire city. That's at least two to three dozen people, and few of them are any kind of pushover." All four teens look at each other and think 'Kuno'. "We're the only ones who don't have any pieces. That map you saw Rei pull was a dummy, so duh, it ain't gonna help you much."

Kiima visibly twitches, all her attention caught on the first part of his little speech. "You…_what_??"

Rei straightens her neck and looks over at Shampoo. "Pretty slow, isn't she?"

"Ai-yah. Shampoo thought Phoenix peoples smarter than that." The green-haired boy sighs.

"Xian Pu, remember your pronouns and sentence structure lessons, please." A sheepish smile from the Amazon girl.

"Sorry, Kalerian." Meanwhile, the ignored Kiima has been growing steadily more furious and frustrated at this whole lot of smart-assed ningens, and at last she reaches the end of her limited store of patience. With an ear-piercing shriek of utter fury, she launches herself at the closest target--who, unfortunately for the angry woman, is Rei.

The until-now noticeably absent Happosai chooses that time to 'stroll' [cough 'run from the female lynch mob' cough] past the Cat Café, doubtless hoping to catch a glimpse--or cop a feel--of his luscious Shampoo while staying ahead of his 'fan-club' and carrying his new ill-gotten pretties to safety. What he gets, instead, is a mouth-watering exotic winged woman practically launching herself at him straight through the Caf's display window. Of course, Kiima doesn't have much of a choice when a serenely-smiling Rei chucks her through it in the first place.

"Darling!" the aged lecher cries joyfully, somehow managing to catch the unlucky Kiima and setting her on her feet. For a moment, the Phoenix woman appears to be reconsidering the use of ningens, males anyway, when Happy undoes all that hard work and attaches himself to her chest. With an indignant screech out of reflex that nearly shatters the remaining windows on the _entire street_, Kiima gives Happosai another opportunity to view the world from Lower Atmospheric Orbit, scattering his collection all over the sidewalk at the same time.

The crowd of angry women that had been following the surprisingly-fast pervert collect their undergarments with a sense of righteous justice and go on their way; leaving a panting Kiima to regather her wits and her dignity and remember just why the hell she went through a window to be pawed by a perverted old human man--insult to injury!--in the first place.

The scolding voice of Cologne on the subject of the broken window seems to remind the winged woman of the frighteningly calm teenager, and she elects that discretion is the better part of valor, choosing to go hunt for the map pieces instead of seeing that empty smiling face again.

That arrogantly stupid boy that was at the Café earlier…she'd bet anything by the way he moved that he is one of the piece-bearing martial artists. Perhaps she should try finding him, first…

===================

This is going to be the last chapter for the next few days. Besides the fact that I'm working a regular job, I'm also volunteering at the food booth my youth group (Rainbow Girls, for anyone who's curious--and _no_, we are not affiliated in any way with G.P. We're kinda like Girl Scouts, but more adult, more formal, and we do a lot more charity work) runs every year at the Marin County Fair with the help of the Masons, and my 20th birthday is on Monday. W00t!


	22. Chapter 22: When You Need a Map

Okay, this has been one hell of a roller-coaster day. (July 6th) My dad gets accused of cheating on my mom, and then we find out that the woman's all sixes and sevens and fixated on my dad. He's putting a restraining order against her, that's how bad she is. And you know, she even included copy/pasted emails with her 'confession' letter that made my dad sound like a cheesy romance novel.

Starling: Your sire doesn't sound like that. EVER.

Che, no kidding. He doesn't use 'my dear' at the end/start of every other sentence, either. My mom's still upset, but she's getting over the scare pretty nicely. I'm glad, but I'm getting curious as to why my family in general keeps attracting crazies and weirdos. [mutter]Vindictive little ikeike[mutter]. Okay, enough ranting, sorry about that. Moving on.

****

( ): If you are Jerry Unipeg under another name, then yes, you are. [grin] Or have you just forgotten to put your name in? ;p

****

Sasami Tombo: Yes the map really does get split up in the anime, but I don't think to quite so many people. Oh, and hey, thanks for the spelling correction. We bishie-collectors like using clones, because it makes things easier and we can tweak them to our specifications. Heheheh.

Kurama: Kyo, she's doing that evil laugh again. ¬.¬!

Kyo: So what'm I supposed t' do about it?

Starling: Ignore her and hope she goes away.

Chapter 22: When You Need a Map to Find a Map

===================================

"Dang it, Akane, slow it down so I can tell you when you're messing up your form," Ranma barks at his fiancée as they practice in the Tendo Dojo, but he says it with a smile. The gi-clad girl standing in front of him smiles back, and her punches blur into visibility for the cursed boy. With a nod, Ranma signals her for the go-ahead, and she attacks him with mock-fury.

The two are training while they can before one of Saffron's goons come and try to take their parts of the map that Cologne gave them. "So what do you think about all this mess, Ranma?" Akane questions while trying to break through Ranma's guard.

"Dunno, but when Jusenkyo's dryin' up and some nutso is lookin' fer a map that's supposed to take him to the source, I ain't gonna let him have it."

"So you_ do_ have a piece of the map," a furious voice hisses from the dojo's entrance. The two turn to find a seriously unhappy Kiima standing in the doorway, every feather standing on end and aura sparking a brilliant vermilion. "Give it to me if you want to keep your life!"

The two teens simply look at each other and start cracking up, having to lean against each other after a few moments to keep from falling over. Kiima stands through it all, getting more and more frustrated and angry at these worthless ningens mocking her. And just when she thinks they've finally managed to control themselves, they take another look at her and each other and nearly collapse on the floor from laughing so hard.

Their laughter stops when Kiima finally has had enough. With another of those window-shattering shrieks of rage, she launches herself at the pair, talons ready to rip those laughing faces off. Ranma quickly shoves Akane out of the way and meets the barrage with his forearms crossed in front of his face, battle aura flaring in subconscious defense. The two of them collide, and are blown apart by the force of their auras repelling each other. Ranma meets the wall at nearly sixty miles an hour, and Kiima gets blown back out the door. There is a large splash and an aggrieved yowl, Kiima staggering back into the dojo a few moments afterwards dripping wet and spitting mad.

"You have a map piece too, don't you, ningen onna?" the Phoenix woman snarls at Akane, who takes one from the inside of her gi and shows her a flash of violet before tucking it away again. Howling, the winged female attacks the girl--or starts to. A blur of crimson and black gets in her way first, and a open-palm strike to her shoulder sends her straight into a wall.

Akane opens eyes that had been squeezed shut in reflex to find a growling Ranma standing protectively in front of her, aura practically burning as he waits for Kiima to extract herself from the embrace of concrete and timber.

"I hate you humans," comes from her bloody mouth as Kiima half tumbles, half scrambles out of the new crater, scratched and bruised from her collision. "Always sticking your noses in affairs that don't concern you!"

"You goin' after my fiancée concerns me lots," is the dangerous reply. Then Ranma realizes that he's suddenly exposed Akane to a great deal of danger and looks furious at himself for letting that slip.

_That might be a weakness I can exploit,_ Kiima thinks to herself as she begins to circle the both of them, sizing up her opponents much more carefully this time now that the water has cooled her anger. "Fiancée?" the bird-woman purrs sweetly, "How nice. How long have you two known each other?"

"None of your business!" Ranma snaps, making sure to keep himself between Kiima and Akane at all times, eyes narrowed to better watch for any flickers of ki.

_Oh, good. He's attached to her. This might work nicely indeed._ Kiima had had more than enough of all this foolishness, and now she was going to do something about it. One taloned hand reaches for a waterproof pouch, withdraws with a palmsful of glittering yellow powder mixed with bits of herb-leaf and petals. With a grin that is nothing short of vengeful and predatory, she shouts a single word that is not understood with the ears but the soul and that sparks like a wet-wood fire, and throws the powder down.

The dojo is filled with acrid, choking smoke that clogs the lungs and makes the eyes water, and Ranma cries out in shock and anger at this low trick. Before he can use any of his techniques, the feeling of Akane's ki disappears from beside him and his ears fill with a desperate voice calling his name.

Coughing, he follows the voice and stumbles outside, arms crossed in front of him in a futile attempt at guarding, and looks upwards. Akane is being carried high into the sky by a smugly-grinning Kiima, a faint trickle of blood sliding down her temple.

"_Akane!!_"

"Don't worry, ningen brat! I'll bring her back safe. If I feel like it!" And she rises too high for his eyes to see. Cursing and dashing away the smoke-induced tears Ranma leaps over the garden wall and sprints for the one destination where he'd be sure to get some answers. That place used to be the Neko-Hanten. Now it's the Kenobishi Dojo.

====

"I know, I know!" Rei says the instant she sees him leap over the wall of her front yard. "The cards told me two seconds ago! I'm sorry, I should have warned you that Kiima'd pull such a dirty stunt! That's one of the reasons she's Sa Fu Lon's bodyguard and caretaker."

"But what about Akane??" the stressed martial-artist demands, and has a slender hand tug on his pigtail.

"Stressing won't get her back. Kiima _will_ bring Akane back in one relatively intact piece. She might have a few bruises and a sprain or two, but nothing none of my gang can't handle."

Snarling to vent some of his temper and worry, Ranma begins to pace around in a six-foot circle, running his hands through his hair over and over. "Damn it, Rei! Can't you just snap out or whatever you do?"

"If I knew where I was going, yes," Rei informs him, lying through her teeth and praying he won't notice. "I don't know where Akane's being taken and I don't have any means to find out. My cards are being very tightlipped about this whole damn mess."

"Graah!" Frustrated beyond belief, Ranma throws his hands upward and falls back onto the soft grass, beginning breathing exercises to calm down before he hurts something. Or someone.

"We'll get her back, Ranma Saotome. If nothing else don't worry about that much. We _will_ get her back." Interestingly enough, the red-haired girl does not specify who they'll get back or how.

====

Akane is awake by the point, and is furiously struggling with her captor as they travel over the Pacific Ocean towards a certain large landmass. "Put me down you winged bimbo!"

"I will in a few minutes, you damned ningen girl! Stop squirming or I'll drop you into the ocean and let you drown!"

Remembering just in time that she isn't _that_ good at swimming (still) Akane ceases struggling and hangs there limply in her kidnapper's arms, determined to be as heavy as possible as a kind of passive retaliation. Several minutes pass in silence and over land before she speaks again.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I have to get that map, duh."

"Not just that, all of this. Why do you want the map so badly?"

"That map means out very survival, and that's all I'm saying on the matter. Keep nattering at me and I might change my mind about letting you live."

More silence, as the two travel over thick forests and scattered villages, heading deeper and deeper into the landmass. "Where are we?"

"China." Akane starts to get a very unpleasant suspicion that is confirmed a short while later when miles of still pools filled with bamboo balancing poles comes into view.

"You're going to drown me anyway, aren't you??"

"You're not so stupid as I thought, ningen girl," is all Kiima says as she picks a pool and lets Akane drop.

==================

Yes, I know, short chapter _and_ a cliffhanger. Don't worry, I'll have the next chapter up in a day or two now that I've finally worked out how this goes. Trying to get Akane kidnapped is a lot harder than the Ranma movies make it look.

I'd also like to warn my few true fans that I'll be renaming this fanfic in the near future. Probably to something like 'Ranma 1/2: Kitsune's Weavings' or something like that in an attempt to get more people interested. I'll let you know when I decide for sure.


	23. Chapter 23: Deceptions, Deceptions

Another week, another chapter. Maybe writer's block won't smack me upside the head in the middle of this one.

****

**Sasami Tombo:** Ehm, 'bishie clones' are something of an inside joke. Basically, it's the only way every one of us can have a certain bishie without having to kill for him. Even though we would…

Tasuki: Don't even go there, fox-girl.

Murr, I love my bishies. [Glomp!]

Tasuki: Anytime you feel like lettin' go…

Chapter 23: Deceptions, Deceptions.

==============================================

Kiima watches from a safe distance above as Akane disappears into the spring below with a large splash, small and very faint lights beginning to gather on the disturbed surface. Kiima hovers closer, watching the bubbles rising to the top with a frightening intensity. More lights gather, until the whole spring is alight and blazes into near-painful brightness, and the bubbles stop rising. Kiima strikes cobra-fast, and hauls an unconscious Akane out of the water while the liquid glows and then dims. Taking the opportunity, a taloned hand reaches into the wet gi and pulls out the map-piece, tucking it into the Phoenix woman's own shirt.

Tossing the soaked girl belly-down over a log, Kiima presses firmly upwards on Akane's back, making the human girl's lungs dislodge a great deal of water. A couple of good thumps and Kiima helps her sit up, looking at her work in satisfaction.

"What (cough) the hell was (hack cough) that for??" Akane gasps indignantly as she glares at her tormentor.

"Simple. Watch." And the bird-woman hops into the spring. Akane sits there, stunned, as the bubbles slow and then erupt into a lithe body leaping back onto solid grown. Gaping, Akane looks at a near-exact double of herself, the only thing marring the 'reflection' is the sardonic and smug smile the new Akane is wearing. "Heh. Think your 'fiancée' is going to be able to recognize me like this?"

"Yes!" Akane snaps back heatedly, but Kiima-now-Akane just throws her head back and laughs.

"Maybe he will, maybe he won't! But I doubt the others will!" And from out of nowhere the new Akane conjures a leather bottle, dumping the contents over her head. An all-too pleased Kiima beats her wings and rises into the air, leaving a shivering Akane to stand and yell after her.

"Hey! What about me??"

"You're lucky I let you live after my humiliation, ningen brat! You should be thankful for that much! But if you think you can make it, the guide's hut is twenty miles to the east. Try not to fall into something!" And Kiima takes off as fast as she can fly, vanishing into the distance within seconds.

"Well, crap," Akane mutters as she looks towards the setting sun. Firming her determination, the soaking wet Akane turns her feet towards the east and starts walking.

===

"Ranma!" The pig-tailed boy whirls and throws his arms open in relief at the sight of a short-haired girl running towards him. They collide and tumble to the grass, Ranma laughing happily as he hugs her close.

"You're safe! How'd you get away, Akane?"

Grey-blue eyes look up at him, shining in satisfaction. "I tricked her into letting go for a second. Then all I had to do was knock her out and I was long gone!"

"Do you still have your map piece?" Smiling, she reaches into her gi and pulls out a piece of old parchment with the final trap's compass seal painted on it. "Good. Come on, we have to go tell Rei."

"I can't," Akane says unhappily, getting to her feet and helping Ranma to his. "I have to go to the Neko-Hanten and talk to Cologne. But I'll meet you there, okay?"

"All right," Ranma agrees uncertainly. Smiling again, his fiancée stands on tiptoe and gives him a quick peck on the cheek before running off again, waving back until she turns the corner. Ranma stands there in shock, one hand raised and touching the spot where she'd kissed him. Confusion and a sudden suspicion spreads across his face, and he races off towards the Kenobishi Dojo.

Several blocks away, Akane slows and reaches again into her gi, pulling out not one, but _two_ pieces of the map with a chuckle. "That was easier than I thought it would be," she chuckles, pouring hot water from another bottle over her head. Kiima stretches her wings and lifts off, still heading towards the Cat Café. "Now, to take care of that Elder and her little idiot of a great-granddaughter."

===

("Oh, it's you again,") Shampoo sighs when the smug-looking Kiima struts into the main dining room of the Neko-Hanten. ("What do you want?")

("I want to challenge you, little Amazon kitty. If I win, I get your map piece. If you win, you get both of mine.") And she waves the two pieces under Shampoo's nose before tucking them away again.

"How you get those??" Shampoo demands, accidentally falling into broken Japanese in her surprise.

("'By hook or by crook' I will always win,") Kiima tells her in an indulgent tone. If this works like she wants it to, getting the rest of the pieces will be easy. ("So .Do you accept my challenge or do you prove that Amazons are as weak as your cursed form?")

Aura practically sparking in anger, Shampoo furiously agrees, unknowingly falling into Kiima's trap.

("Before we begin, does your Elder have a piece as well?")

(Great-grandmother does not need to hold a fragment against someone as dishonorable as you,") Shampoo snarls as she drops into an offensive stance, bonbori held high and ready. The two are standing in the middle of the empty street, the civilians in Nerima by this point having developed a 'storm sense' where the Nerima Wrecking Crew is involved and instinctively clearing out well in advance.

("Then let's begin.") Grinning, all Kiima does is snap her fingers. In the instant, a cloud of gold-colored dust bursts from the ground beneath Shampoo and engulfs her, forming into an oversized egg a few moments later. The sounds of banging can be heard from within, growing weaker and weaker with every passing second. Kiima waits a few moments longer when the banging stops before snapping her fingers again. The egg cracks, then shatters neatly back into dust motes that are absorbed back into the asphalt beneath the dazed Amazon girl. ("Now, what do you call me, slave?")

("Master,") Shampoo replies adoringly, looking at the bird-woman with an expression akin to hero-worship.

====

("Very good, doreiko,") Kiima says indulgently, patting the ecstatic Shampoo on the head with a feeling of possessiveness. ("Now, we are going to collect all those pretty map pieces so that I will be happy. You do want me to be happy, don't you, doreiko?")

("Oh, yesyesyesyesyes!") Shampoo gushes quickly in reassurance. ("And I know where every single piece of the map is!")

("Very good,") Kiima repeats, beginning to walk off. Shampoo automatically falls into step three paces behind her, watching the woman ahead of her with eyes filled with adoration and all its related emotions. ("We will leave that nearsighted boy for last, since I am sure he would tell your Elder what he did.")

("What would that be?") Shampoo questions brightly, still trailing along like a puppy.

("You, doreiko, are going to each of the bad people holding a map piece and tell them that your great-grandmother has come up with a new plan, and needs each of the map pieces back. If they do not want you, you must make them, is that clear?")

("Yes, master!")

("Then please repeat my instructions.")

("I go to everyone who has a map piece and tell them that Great-grandmother has a new plan and needs their map fragments back. If they do not want to give them back I have to make them,") Shampoo parrots back obediently, and is rewarded for her correct answer by Kiima giving the violet-haired girl an approving smile over her shoulder.

("Excellent, doreiko,") Kiima tells her, Shampoo clapping her hands in joy at being praised. ("Now, I have already collected the fragments belonging to your 'Airen' and his fiancée, and you can keep your piece for the time being. Who is the next closest fragment-holder?")

("Kuno-baka.")

("Take me to him, then.")

====

"I should think that Akane kissing you instead of whacking the daylights out of you would be an improvement," Rei says dryly from her seat on her front lawn, tiny portable spinning wheel in her lap and a basket of cotton rolags dyed blue by her knee. The other three youkai-blooded teens sit haphazardly around her, engaged in various hobbies of their own. It's near sunset by this point, and rainclouds are beginning to gather at the horizon, set ablaze by the sinking sun into a riot of reds and oranges and golds.

"That's the thing," Ranma tells her, squatting in front of her, elbows on his knees and chin cupped in his hands, grey-blue eyes serious. "Akane's never really kissed me like that, not outta the blue like she did, not unless I've done somethin' not like me. Hell, I rescued her from kidnappers twice b'fore, and I ain't never got a kiss outta it."

"Ah, now it makes sense. You're confused that she decided to show an unexpected display of affection, which is not part of her usual character, desu ne?"

"Iie. I'm suspicious. It ain't like Akane to do somethin' like that. She hates casual touching almost as much as I do."

"Considering you keep getting mauled by wannabe fiancées and she keeps getting chased by the Hentai Horde, I'm not surprised you dislike casual touching," Kohaku snorts. Ranma just looks frustrated and scratches the back of his head.

"You don't think that baka-bird took her to Jusenkyo, do you?" Rei's expression never changes, and since Ranma is concentrated on her he misses the startled looks the other three give him.

_-That guy is a lot smarter'n he lets on,-_ Kalerian comments to his soul-sibs, and gets various agreements in reply.

"Why do you say that?" Rei prods gently, never looking up from her spinning.

"Well, it'd fit, wouldn't it? Kiima drops her into an empty spring, hops in herself, and has a damn good disguise, ne?"

"But from what I gather and what you've told us, Kiima hates humans with a passion. Why would she want to turn into one?" Masaya points out logically.

"'Cause she's a fanatic to that Saffron kid. Fanatics do a lot of stuff they don't like if it's for their 'cause'." All four are openly staring at him now, mouths hanging slightly open. Ranma looks from one to the others and huffs. "Nani? Why're you all starin' at me?"

"Dude, what happened to the adorably dense-in-all-things-not-martial-arts Ranma?" Kohaku queries, the others snapping their mouths shut and looking mildly embarrassed.

"I ain't that dense. I got good grades same as you do. Just 'cause I don't prance around braggin' about how smart I am don't make me stupid." The pig-tailed boy now looks mightily offended.

"You're right, we're sorry, Ranma," Masaya says from his sprawl next to a intricate little bonsai pine. "It's just that Nabiki keeps screwing you over from Okinawa and back, and you don't seem able to stop her."

"Okay, one: I do that to pay for food and rent, 'cause I can't get a job with my luck and curse. Two: I spent over ten years gettin' hauled all over Japan by a fat lazy old man with the social skills of a gnat. Three: I'm waitin' until I turn eighteen, and then I'm gonna move out and turn the tables on her. Meanwhile she just keeps underestimating me."

"Absolutely brilliant," Kalerian chuckles. "Bravo, bravo. Think about selling tickets to that, I want a front row seat."

"Airen!" comes a familiar shout. Like a purple comet Shampoo drops out of nowhere and glomps onto the unfortunate Ranma, who is knocked off balance and ends up flat on his back and looking none-too-pleased with the situation.

"Shampoo, get offa me, woudja??" Somehow Ranma manages to wriggle free and takes refuge on a tree-branch, adding 'rumpled' to the list of things that aren't making him happy today and just pinning Shampoo with a surprisingly cat-like glare of indignation. Unhappy though she is that her beloved has run away from her yet again, the Amazon girl turns to the others and sighs.

"Great-grandmother has come up with a new plan that she hasn't explained to me yet, but she needs the pieces of the map she gave you. Can I have them, please?"

Digging into the pocket of his jeans, Kalerian glances up at the ruffled cursed young man and grins. "You know what's sad? Shampoo's lived here for just a year or so and her Japanese is much better than yours."

"Shove it, fish-boy," Ranma grumbles back as he digs around in his shirt for his own piece. Concern blooms on his face and he unbuttons the whole shirt, takes it off, and shakes it out. Shampoo has already collected the fragments from the other four and is standing under his branch, admiring the play of muscles under tanned skin lit by sunset. "Eh? Oh, kuso, don't tell me I dropped it!" he says frantically, rummaging around in his pockets desperately. "My fragment's gone!"

"Oh, that one must've been yours, then," Shampoo says suddenly, reaching into her pocket space tucked inside her shirt and coming out with a piece illustrated with a circle of blue. "I found it outside the Tendo Dojo."

"Oh, thank Kami," Ranma murmurs to himself and puts his shirt back on. "I don't like scares like that."

"What were you doing walking by Akane's place?" Masaya asks in curiosity.

"Looking for Ranma, of course. I got Kitchen-destroyer's piece from her while I was at it."

"But Akane said she needed to talk to the old ghoul." Ranma's suspicions come back full force, but are deflated when Shampoo lifts one slender eyebrow sardonically.

"And how long would she have been there if she was still at the Cafe?"

"Oh. Right."

With an edge of tension underlying her smile, Shampoo bids them all goodbye and bounds over the front wall to vanish from sight.

She runs for a few blocks, and then ducks into an alleyway and looks up expectantly. With a quiet thundering of wings, Kiima drops onto the ground beside her and gives her a waiting look. Soundlessly the brainwashed girl reaches into her pocket space and pulls out over two dozen pieces of heavy parchment ("Good work, doreiko,") Kiima murmurs to her as the woman takes the pieces and puts them in a small flat case, ("Now all that's left is that foolish Mu Tsu boy and we can go home. Eh? What's this?") A folded piece of paper has fallen from thin air and spirals to the ground. Picking it up, Kiima unfolds it and gasps. Written in elegant script are two sentences, two words, and one signature.

_'Because this is how the Threads must go, I must allow your trickery. But do not think we four fooled, Kiima of the Phoenix Clan. Signed, the Weaver.'_

================================

Heh-heh, Kiima's gonna blow a brain vessel trying to figure out who the Weaver is now. She only has to choose from among, oh, about thirty people. I'm so evil to my characters! [grins]

Doreiko: little slave. 'ko' is a suffix for 'small' or 'little', much like -chan.

Desu ne: right?

Ne: yes, or the shorter form of 'desu ne'

Nani: what

A standard rule of Japanese spelling is to make the 'u' in 'su' silent, which is why names like Yusuke or Tasuki and words like desu are pronounced Yuske, Taski, and des.


	24. Chapter 24: When the Weave Comes Togethe...

:stares in shock: I actually…got new reviewers? Squee! :bounces around a few times in joy before settling down: Wow, I haven't gotten new reviewers in ages!

****

**Gourry-gabriev610**: The Saffron Episodes aren't actually out in the US yet, so the only ones who have seen them are the Japanese, any 'unofficial' (read pirated ;P) distributors and/or fansubbers, and anyone who's gotten ahold of those fansubbed episodes. (I want!!) I'm ad-libbing here. :grin: And I will remember to translate any Japanese that I use in the future.

**Amarog11**: You're welcome. :grin:

**Anzl33tm4573r**: ¬.¬! I prefer the terms 'mope' or 'sulk' to 'panic', but my Winter's Rose story is doing quite well, so I can't complain there. n.n

PS Because I'm using a different computer at the moment I don't have access to my usual system, so I have to jury-rig some of my standard gappings and side-notes. For now, possibly permanently if the problem is due to changing their systems around...again...actions done outside the stoy are going to be in ':' and chapter spacings are going to be '-'. Damn, but I miss asterisks.

Chapter 24: When the Weave Comes Together

---------------------------------------------------------------

Kiima stares in shock at the scrap of paper held in her clawed hand, brain numb. One of the ex-fragment holders…is the Fate? In total disbelief she reverts to the primitive language every Phoenix-tribe member can speak from birth and squawks something that can be roughly translated as 'holy shit'. (The full translation would actually require a much deeper knowledge of that primitive language than the author possesses, and it might actually short out the computer being used to write this. )

Her brain finally reboots and she quickly packs away the collected fragments in her pocket-space, gesturing for Shampoo to follow her.

("But master, I cannot fly,") Shampoo protests as she is dragged along by Kiima.

("It doesn't matter, doreiko. I can carry you, and you have proven to be a valuable asset. For a human. For now, we must get to Phoenix Mountain as soon as possible.")

("I can make it easier on you, master!") Shampoo tells her happily. ("I am a Jusenkyo-victim, and my cursed form is a cat.")

("Excellent,") Kiima replies, instantly dumping a jug of cold water on her. (Hey, wait a sec! I didn't have that in her pocket-space! Where did she get that??) ("Let us get the final piece from your would-be-paramour and we will be gone.") Scooping up the now-transformed Shampoo, the Phoenix woman takes off into the sky as fast as her wings can carry her.

---

"So Shampoo wasn't actually fetching the pieces of the map for you, elder Cologne?" Rei confirms about four hours later, most of the fighters who had guarded map-pieces gathered at the Kenobishi Dojo as the only place really being big enough for everyone to be comfortable. At the Neko-Hanten they had been packed pretty tightly.

"Correct. I don't know what Xian Pu was doing, but I never asked her to get the map fragments from any of you." The Amazon Elder is once more balanced on her staff and is positioned near the dojo shrine in order to remain visible.

"I'll bet that Phoenix witch had my beloved Xian Pu under a spell!" Mousse shouts, and Rei gives him an approving look tinged with exasperation.

"Mu Tsu, we all know how you feel about Xian Pu--you needn't shout it. And I have heard about a technique used by some particularly skilled Phoenix-tribe members that in effect brainwashes the victim. It's kind of like the shampoo/pressure point memory-manipulation technique Xian Pu used on Akane."

"How'd you know about that?" Ranma asks in startlement and the Quartet shrugs in unison.

"We've been training her while teaching her better Japanese. We had to know what kind of techniques she knows," Kalerian says indifferently. "She's really quite skilled when she isn't obsessing over you, Ranma-kun."

"Right, so it's possible the purple-haired hussy was brainwashed and was following that bird-chick's orders, huh?" Ukyo asks to make sure she understands, and Rei sighs.

"Yes, and Ukyo, please refrain from calling people names. It's rude."

"So what do we do now?" Kuno calls, currently under guard by Pantyhose Taro and Ryoga to keep him from chasing after any of his 'interests'. "The evil winged woman hath made off with our fragments and the fair Amazon to boot, and my beauteous Akane is still missing!"

Ranma shoots a look that says 'you been workin' on him, too?' to the Quartet, who shake their heads. For some reason, being between two large muscular boys fully capable of ripping his head off seems to have a sanity-restoring effect on the kendoist. Not that anyone's complaining.

"I suggest those who have been briefed in what to do in such an event pack and get back here by morning," Cologne says calmly. "It will take Kiima some time before she arrives back at the mountain, and more time to put the map back together. We have that much leeway to prepare, so let's get some sleep." Murmuring amongst themselves, the collective Nerima Wrecking Crew files out of the dojo and back to their respective homes. Ranma has already snagged Ryoga to keep the valuable fighter from getting lost and missing the entire battle, dragging him behind him towards the Tendo Dojo. They are among those who would be back by dawn.

Rei and the other three have just started to relax when they are interrupted. "Rei-chan?" A sweet voice asks from the door of the Kenobishi dojo. The startled Quartet turns to find Kasumi there, looking grim in a fighter's suit (think Sango's from Inu Yasha but dark blue) and with her long brown hair tied into a severe braid.

"Kasumi-nee-chan. I was wondering when you'd be coming to talk to us." Rei instantly goes into a deep respectful bow until Kasumi clears her throat somewhat nervously.

"Rei-chan, I'd like--"

"Kasumi, as a grand-master of the Tendo Style of Anything Goes, you are a _most_ welcome member of our strike team. Please come in and show us _exactly_ what you can do with the war-hammer I can sense in your pocket-space."

---

Akane has not been having a good time. After Kiima had abandoned her at Jusenkyo, she'd been slowly but steadily wending her way around the numerous water-hazards and the dangerously narrow tracks between them, always aiming for the Guide's hut. For some reason she's always been a better martial-artist when Ranma isn't around, probably because she would keep trying too hard to impress him and end up doing exactly the opposite which would just make her get even clumsier, so she hasn't had too much trouble avoiding another pool that--with her luck--would already be cursed. One dunk in a Jusenkyo spring is all the excitement she needs for the day, thank you very much.

When the sun had set too far for her to travel safely she'd holed up in a decent sized tree, and settles in to wait for the dawn and sufficient travel-light with a slow anger boiling her blood and keeping her warm. That anger vanishes when night finishes cloaking the land and brings out her skirt of stars, fear replacing the anger as the springs below become alight with a soft radiance.

To Akane's shock, images begin forming above the pools, of people and animals and a few oddities scattered among the others, all of them stretching and yawning as though awakening from a deep sleep.

**_Evening, Cat!_** a ghostly woman calls from her place above a small pool to another spring, this one apparently belonging to the white-and-black cat sitting translucently above it.

**_Evening, Ku Ling of the I'rin clan of Amazons,_** the cat calls back, though Akane can't see its mouth move. **_Another new moon, another night of awareness, eh?_**

The woman nods as other spirits begin conversing with the pair, chatting amicably if rather boredly. One spirit, one that Akane had seen the uncursed form of not too long ago, is complaining to a lion-like creature with heavy horns sprouting from the mane. **_Sixteen years,_** the Yeti-riding-a-bull-and-carrying-an-eel-and-crane sighs to its conversation companion. **_Sixteen years without a single victim. The last one was a baby some fool washed in my waters at birth. How boring is that?_**

**_ Hey, Yeti! Ryon! There's a new spring!_** the spirit of a wolf howls from his own pool. **_Spring of Drowned Akane! Pass it on!_** Obligingly the two shout in different directions, though Akane highly doubts anyone but her can hear this. Ranma had never mentioned anything like this, or that the Guide had mentioned anything like this, so this must not be normal. But the cat had said that this happens on the new moons. So why has this never been mentioned?

**_Hey! Girl in the tree! Watch out for the snake!!_** With a yelp Akane drops from the tree, barely dodging the startled strike of a snake unhappy at being awoken by the shouting. She straightens to find every single spirit in view staring at her in shock, several jaws dangling.

**_Wow. She heard you, Bear. _**The speaker, the cat, says this with utter surprise. **_That's different._**

****

**_ What's your name, girl?_** the bear spirit asks, everyone else still staring.

"I'm Akane." That puts everyone into an uproar. From the shouting, Akane can only discern the gist of the numerous reactions, ranging from 'so _that's_ why that spring's weird!' to 'no wonder she can see and hear us!'

**_All right, all right, enough y'all,_** the woman finally yells, and the various spirits quiet down and settle for watching a nervous Akane very carefully. **_Obviously, the girl's alive. We got that. Now, the question is: why? Care to explain, Akane?_**

"A Phoenix woman named Kiima dropped me into the pool," Akane clarifies sourly, fingers plucking at her mostly-dry clothes in a gesture of nerves. "And she yanked me out before I'd completely finished drowning." Several of the spirits make sounds of understanding while most of the others look confused.

**_It just means the Akaneniichuan isn't permanent,_** a badger explains to a squirrel some distance away, its voice still carrying clearly to Akane's ears. The other spirits' faces clear, and they begin chattering in excitement amongst themselves.

All of this noise attracts the attention of three certain demons we remember from Rei's exhaustion-incident, who of course come to investigate and find one slightly-damp, rather unhappy human girl surrounded by spirits. ("Shin Ron, do you see what I see?") the bobcat asks the tiger, staring at Akane while the badger talks to her in a serious voice.

("If you mean a ningen female with the glow of a spring about her, yes, yes I do.")

("What should we do, Rin Sun?") the leopard whispers.

("Take her to the Boss, of course.") And the bobcat leads the way out into the open. "'Scuse me, miss? Are you lost?"

**_Hi, Rin Sun!_** The woman-spirit waves brightly at them. **_How's the wife and kids?_**

"Oh, about the same, Ku Ling. Feisty, rambunctious, the usual. All the shouting got us curious so we decided to come check out the reason. You've got a living girl walking in your midst, I see."

"My name's Akane," the living girl mutters ill-temperedly. "Akane Tendo." That _really _gets the attention of the three demons. The boss had told them about Rei-chan's new friends in the ningen-city of 'Nee-rii-ma', including this girl, the one with high potential and the honor of actually training with the deliciously-dangerous fire-fox.

"Well, Miss Tendo, would you happen to have the acquaintance of a being known as Hiei Jaganshi?"

Akane blinks at the male with the orange hair striped black with shock. "You know Hiei-san?"

"Oh, good, Shen Ron! She does know the boss!" The tiger rolls his eyes at the leopard.

("Be any more obvious, Li Shon?") The leopard blushes.

("Sorry, Shen Ron.") The bobcat shakes his ginger head and sighs.

"My apologies for my companions, Miss Tendo. Since you happen to be in the middle of Jusenkyo, still quite alive and with no scent of having fallen into a cursed spring, would you like to get home? We can have you back in Nee-rii-ma before dawn."

"Really? Oh, thank you so much! I have to warn them about Kiima!"

Sudden sharp interest from the three feline youkai. "You know that blasted bird-bitch?" Shen Ron growls, Akane stepping back from fear.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"So long as it's an unwilling association."

"He's had some bad experiences," Rin Sun whispers to her confidentially before adding in a louder tone, "Come on then. My element is air, and I can have the winds carry us across the sea."

"Any chance that the bird-bitch will show up?" Shen Ron demands, and Akane shrugs.

"Probably. She's been screwing with us because of a damned map."

All three males blanch. "A map to the heart of Jusenkyo?" When Akane nods, they start cussing in Mandarin. "Then I'd best get you home now, little ningen girl. The faster I get this information to our leader, the better." With slender, muscular arms Rin Sun scoops her up and yowls a guttural word that makes Akane's ears smart. Winds whirl around them, picking them up in a sphere of zephyrs locked in a tangle of near-hurricane force torrents of air. "Pray we do not find a storm!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm sorry this is so short after so long a break. But I promise, next chapter will be longer since I've finally worked out this scene, which was driving me bonkers. Now it's pretty much all pre-planned from here. See you soon!**__**


	25. Chapter 25: Beginning of the End

**Killara:** Thank you so much. I appreciate reviews like this! n,.,n

**Psycho Pirate:** But why? It's so much fun to be paranoid. ;P I know I have readers, I just like the confirmation that people are actually reading my stories. Plus, if I sulk enough I usually get one or two more reviews out of it! n.n

Chapter 25: Beginning of the End

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dawn comes early to the city of Nerima and the fighters who will be gathered before the sun's rays turn the sky pink. The severity of their future actions weigh heavy on the four Elemental Fighters' minds, the thought of their opponents weighing equally heavy on the others'. For although Saffron is small, the level of power he can control is still visible beneath the skin.

The four stand in silent communion with each other as dawn lightens the sky in the east, compass points with their heads touching, hands clasped. Sharing one last moment of peace. That peace is broken by the sound of footsteps echoing along the streets, the chosen of the Nerima Wrecking Crew striding along in silence. In the lead are Ranma and Ryoga, grim-faced, tight-lipped.

In unison the four look up and into slate-colored eyes filled with determination. And embarrassment? "Ranma," Rei greets, "what's wrong? Besides what was wrong last night?" She blinks as a slender woman dressed in a very correct modern kimono with a long wrapped package in her arms steps around the unhappy Ranma. "Ah, Nodoka-san, I presume?"

"Quite right," the woman confirms, bobbing her head in a polite not-bow. Her hair is a reddish brown--one can see the similarity between her and 'Ranko' in that and their eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"She walked up just as we were leavin'," Ranma tells the four with a kind of earnest sheepishness. "She refused to stay with Nabiki."

"Mr. Tendo, you weren't supposed to come. Or you, Nabiki." Kalerian gives the two Tendos a reproving look which they brush off.

"We may not be able to fight like you," Nabiki informs them in no uncertain terms, "hell, I can't even fight at all, but we'll be damned if we let you leave us behind."

_-Of course, we didn't really expect to,-_ Masaya sighs to the others over their link. His statement is met with faint chuckles, all the amusement that can be afforded today. "I take you're coming with us, too, Nodoka-san?"

"Of course. When I get a feeling that my husband and my son are going off into something that may cost them their lives, I am not going to sit idly by and let them."

"We would ask no less, Nodoka-san. But where is Kasumi?"

Everyone else looks surprised. "Kasumi?" Mousse pushes his glasses up on his nose, and Rei notes that they look different from his usual pair. "Why would the eldest Tendo daughter be here?"

"Because I too, can fight," a sweet voice tells him tartly, and the half-blind cursed boy leaps aside as though stung. Kasumi, dressed as she was last night, walks past him with an enormous war-hammer slung over her shoulder. All but the four are gaping at her--with Nodoka as another exception, she's too well-bred to gape.

"Ah, Kasumi-chan," Kohaku chirps, "why so late? We nearly left without you."

That calm smile grows a shade bigger. "Sorry. I had to fetch someone. I have the feeling we'll need his help." She turns and smiles a little wider at the person directly behind her. The four just smirk at Dr. Tofu, blushing behind Kasumi.

"Looks like we're all here," Rei begins, when a pleased roar makes them look up. And makes Rei's mouth turn up in a relieved greeting. In a thunderous clap of displaced air Rin Sun the bobcat demon drops to the ground with Akane cradled safely in his arms.

"Akane!" It's hard to tell who shouted her name first, but it's Ranma's arms she runs to. Rin Sun staggers over to the Four and drops to one knee, panting from energy-consumption.

"Glad...I could...make it," he gasps with no little pride. "Afraid...I was...gonna miss you."

"You certainly cut it close, Rin Sun," Masaya sighs, dropping his voice to a whisper to add, "Didn't think you were going to arrive on schedule for a second there. With a Chaos Card's involvement, there's no guarantee this is going to go as planned."

The ginger-haired male laughs breathlessly as the stocky Earth fighter helps him back to his feet and into the house to regain his strength. As one of their agents as well as Hiei's, he knows full well what's supposed to happen today. And who he's really dealing with--Rei provides him with especially good mind-shields because of that. Mrs. Kenobishi doesn't even bat an eye at the sight of a lanky male getting plunked down at her kitchen table by a silent Masaya, who then returns to the group.

"Okay, let me amend," Rei sighs, pulling out a card from the deck at her hip and glancing at it, "_now_ we're all here. If you all would kindly scoot to stand over there please, we can get the transport set up."

"But I thought you needed a locate." That sounds like Akane. Kohaku shrugs a shoulder.

"Got one from Elder Ku Lon," she replies. That's the last thing the four says to the group as the Elemental Quartet walks over to the large section of clean grass right by the Jusenkyo-replica and stands once again at the cardinal compass-points with their hands meeting in the middle. What they do next resembles nothing so much as some odd May-pole dance that ends with the four in the same poses in which they started. If any of the Reikai Tantei were here, they'd have seen the tendrils of energy forming a temporary portal glittering from among the grass blades bedecked in gemlike dew.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please begin boarding now," Kalerian tells them in a strained voice, "And please hurry. We can't keep this stable for long. We either use it or lose it."

Silently the gathered fighters move to stand around the four, clustering as close as they can without bumping into them. The rank stands as thus at the moment: besides the Quartet, there is Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Cologne, Mousse, Kasumi, Nodoka, Genma, Tofu, Akane, Soun, and Nabiki. Then the lawn is empty as the power in the portal pulls them into somewhere else.

----

There is a faint whoosh of air as the fighters appear in the clearing before the Guide's hut in China, the Quartet staggering from the amount of energy they just used. Shin Ron and Li Shon are waiting there, as are several others. Ranma goes into auto-defense at the sight of a patient Herb, Lime, and Mint standing by the hut, not to mention a smirking Taro.

"Cross-dresser."

"Pantyhose pervert."

"Don't even get started, you two," Rei tells them crankily as she turns and walks towards the springs. "I'll be back shortly. Stay put, everyone, and _no fighting_. _Period_." And with that, she vanishes into the mists wreathing the dangerous waters. With the exception of the remaining three elementals--who simply flop down and begin to meditate--the group shifts among itself uneasily due to past bad relations. Nodoka is still trying to corner Ranma and Genma into a conversation about their recent whereabouts when the sounds of faint footsteps echoes to their ears.

By now the sun has risen above the tree-tops, mist mostly burned away, so Rei's return is easily visible. And much easier to stare at. In her hands is cradled a long staff with a crescent moon attached to one end at the fattest part of the curve, with odd prongs angling out and then down about a foot down the shaft. Behind her float two ruby-hued spheres, hollow globes of ki filled almost to the brim with water.

Herb stares. "But the springs are going dry!"

Rei's eyes are serene. "Herb, do not underestimate me or my abilities to find that which is vanishing. The springs are drying, not dried. This is the last and only chance for this, believe me."

"Where did you find that staff, child??" Cologne demands, still perched on her walking stick. Rei's gaze turns amused.

"The same place I found the water, Elder. Now. To business. Ranma, step forward, please." Willingly the pig-tailed boy bounds up, practically quivering in eagerness.

"A moment, Rei?" Nodoka requests sweetly. "What is so important about these waters?"

Ranma blanches when Rei grins. "I thought you'd never ask, Nodoka-san. Long ago, a land of springs was formed here by geological activity and, I suspect, a god or two, given the unique nature of these waters. You see, Nodoka-san, these waters are cursed, that when something drowns in them, the next unfortunate to fall into them becomes that first victim whenever they are splashed with cold water. To temporarily reverse it, hot water is needed. As a matter of fact, a number of the fighters around you have been cursed by different springs, as was our errant Xian Pu."

Ranma's eyes beg her to cure him now before he is forced to kill himself with his mother, but Rei simply winks at him. "Your son and husband are among those cursed, actually. They're--" Genma splashes both Ranma and himself with the contents of a thermos, hauling the unfortunate 'girl' down by the front of her shirt as the panda begins to frantically bow with a sign repeating 'I'm sorry!' over and over again. Nodoka is, understandably, shocked, but Rei continues.

"Honestly, the suicide pact Ranma told me about seems to be a bunch of utter nonsense. Despite his current form, your son has performed more heroic deeds than anyone else I know, not to mention the fact that every time he turns around some new girl seems to be throwing herself at his feet."

Nodoka blinks. "I can understand your point, dear, but..." The older woman trails off, reviewing Rei's last few sentences. Instant, furious attention on Genma. "What suicide pact??"

It's Rei and Ranma's turn to blink, as Rei mentally runs over Nodoka's Thread to check a memory. "I'll be damned," she whispers to herself in glee, "it was just a promise to keep Ranma safe and happy, and for Genma to be a good parent!" Extremely smug, she watches as a verbal and physical round of Genma-bashing takes place. The smell of crisped fur is floating on the air when she finally figures this is enough and clears her throat. "If you are all finished abusing one of our less-than-able fighters, I might resume what I was doing?"

Instant silence as an eager Ranma takes her place in front of Rei. The staff is placed in her hands with a gentle smile. "This is the gekkaja, the twin and opposite to the staff Sa Fu Lon holds. It's power is making things cold, which will be useful for any technique relying on the Soul of Ice. Sa Fu Lon's is the kinjakan, which is of heat and flight. Use your weapon wisely, Ranma, you'll need it to win today."

Ranma nods solemnly as Rei gestures the larger of the two globes above him. A small hole irises open at the bottom and closes just as quickly, releasing a measured amount onto the pig-tailed martial artist. Ranma shivers from the cold, sweeping sodden black bangs away from his eyes. Double-take. Black. It's actually black. Rei watches as Ranma checks all over himself, including a peek into his shirt, finding that he is once again fully male.

"Spring of drowned man?" he asks, making certain. Rei nods.

"Spring of drowned man." She steps closer, cupping her hands under his jaw and using that hold to pull him down to her level, laying a gentle kiss on his forehead. A small point of heat blossoms where her lips had been a moment ago as Ranma pulls back, startled. "One last gift for thee, chosen of the Meddler, and my seal to make it last."

As Ranma reverses to rejoin the group, he looks at Rei as though expecting her to burst into prose in an imitation of Kuno, but when she merely shares a knowing look with him he relaxes. "This is a day for confessions," Rei says into the expectant silence. "The price to pay for your cures. It doesn't have to be a big confession, only something that the others do not know. I do not do this because I want to, but because there must be some kind of sacrifice in order to make the cures stick. Be glad I chose this instead of goats."

Mousse is the next one to step forward, happiness radiating from the Master of Hidden Weapons. "Mu Tsu, we all know your feelings for Xian Pu. They are hardly a confession."

"It's not that," the boy beams, taking off the thick lenses resting on his nose, "I don't need my glasses anymore. I have _contacts._" Rei's laughter peals through the area as she christens the Amazon boy, giving him a seal just like Ranma in the shape of a stylized flame.

Taro steps up and mumbles something. Rei tilts her head and gives him a questioning look. "A little louder, beloved."

"I said I don't care if these people call me Pantyhose!" he yells, blushing bright red. "You never call me that, and that's all that matters." The dazzling, happy smile suddenly shining on Rei's face seems to be all the reward he needs, for he almost walks away without getting doused. Laughing, Rei pulls him back into place and adds an extra kiss on the lips when she grants him her seal.

When Herb comes up, Rei just cocks her head to one side. "Herb, what on earth would you have to confess?"

"Maybe that he likes being a girl with tits," Ranma mutters audibly from his place, earning him a double-whammy from Akane and Ryoga. Herb shoots a good-natured glare at his once-enemy before replying with, "I collect manga."

Amazement. "How do you get it all the way out here??"

"Internet!" Face-fault, Rei giggling as she performs her self-appointed task.

Genma is next, and the battered panda holds up a sign admitting, _/I knew about Jusenkyo./_ Rei waits until the renewed session of Bash-the-Panda is over with before she douses him. He doesn't get a seal--let him get cursed again for all anyone else cared.

Now only Ryoga remains, and the fanged boy is shaking at what might happen next. He flinches when Rei calls his name, but goes anyway. To his surprise, he receives only a sisterly kiss on the cheek and, "The strength you need to admit what you would, and say what you must." Rei adds in a wicked whisper, "And you don't get the rest until you do, for added incentive." Those not privy to his curse are looking confused, especially Akane, as he takes a deep breath and the plunge.

"Akane, I love you." Even those who weren't before stare at the most tongue-tied of their lot, the one who is finally saying it right. "I know I should have told you sooner, but I could never work up the courage to. I tried--a lot!--by actually saying it or writing it, but every time I tried I 't do it. And now someone already has a claim on your heart, and I'm too late. I really just want you to be happy, Akane, from the bottom of my heart. But there's one more thing you should know. Rei?"

"Good choice, anii-kun," the red-head tells him affectionately as she proceeds to dump the contents of a second thermos on him. Akane stares numbly at the sight of her pet pig P-chan sitting in the middle of Ryoga's empty clothes. A ball of warmed tap-water sitting in Rei's palm quickly reverses the effect, Ryoga managing to get his pants back on as he changes so that he doesn't add 'flasher' to his list of transgressions.

Taking a deep breath, he waits for the beating to come. Several long seconds pass by with nothing happening, so he risks opening his eyes. Akane's battle aura is flaring like hell, but she doesn't seem about ready to strike him like a vengeful god.

"Why?" Akane finally manages. "Why didn't you _just tell me_??"

"I didn't have the courage to admit my feelings, Akane. I had too much pride to admit this."

"You slept in my bed!"

"Actually," Ryoga rubs a fading lump on the back of his skull, "that's not as pleasant as it sounds. You thrash in your sleep. A lot." An odd squeak escapes the girl, uncertain whether to take it as fact or insult or both. A warm hand rests against Ryoga's spine, a silent assurance that no matter what, Rei would still be there. "Tendo-san, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. And if you'd please remember, I never watched while you were changing, and I always, _always_ slept on top of the covers. I didn't want to be in the bed at all, but I couldn't bear the thought of you waking up in the morning to find your beloved pet pig gone. That thought was just too painful, Tendo-san." By now the hand had grown into a full body, leaning against him in warm support. "So, please, hate me if you must, but don't blame yourself. And don't blame Ranma, either. I made him swear not to tell you the night he found out."

"Who else knew?" Hands go up--the only exceptions this time being Kasumi, Nabiki and Nodoka. There had been too many times that Ryoga had hopped into Soun's bath as P-chan and emerged as Ryoga not to have figured it out. Why _he_ never said anything we'll never know.

"Please, Tendo-san," Ryoga whispered, "please."

Silence grows, until the air hums with tension, and then..."You can still call me Akane. And I don't hate you." Ryoga straightens as though the entire world has been lifted from his shoulders, Rei choosing that moment to christen him.

"Congratulations, anii-kun," Rei murmurs, turning him around. "No more P-chan, and you have relieved yourself of the smirches on your honor. And now," she adds as she kisses his forehead, "you won't get lost so much anymore." Ryoga touches the places where she'd kissed him on each cheek, the three seals different for him. A stylized rose's petals glow on his forehead, two small flames just below his eyes, fading quickly into his skin. "I have that kind of power, I can do that."

"I believe you," Ryoga whispers back, brimming with all the brighter emotions, nary a sign of the depression that so often crushes his spirit. "There's nothing you can't do."

"Oh, there are some things," Rei tells him as they join the group and start walking into the forest. "And those are the things I wish I could do most."

Surprised at the yearning in his sister's voice, Ryoga jolts as Akane comes up beside them. "Hello, Akane-san. I truly am sorry for not telling you anything sooner."

"You lied to me," Akane says quietly. "How can I ever trust you again?"

Kalerian pipes up, eyes wide. "Oh, but you must trust him, Akane, we have to trust everyone. The entire battle ahead hinges on it."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whee! Another chapter done. The next one might take me a while, at least until they actually get to Saffron through all those damned traps, but it will be up soon!!

Reikai Tantei: Spirit World Detectives

Anii-ku: Big brother, affectionate suffix.

I don't know what the staff's names mean. So sue me. You won't get anything. ;)


	26. Chapter 26: Trip a Trap

Chapter 26: Trip a Trap

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mouko Takabisha!" Boom! Ranma lets his breath out as the walking tree disintegrates into splinters, leaving the pathway clear. "Geez, how many more of these do we gotta deal with?"

A ragged Masaya is the one who answers his question. "We have two more traps to go, Ranma, before we reach Jusenkyo's source. That's where we'll find Saffron, Kiima, and Shampoo." Ranma takes a moment to examine the Quartet, noticing how worn they look compared to the others. What he doesn't know is that there have actually been dozens more traps that the Nerima Wrecking Crew haven't encountered, thanks to the Quartet's use of ki to deactivate them, thereby giving them a chance to catch up.

"Why do you guys look like someone dragged ya through the mud? You ain't been fightin' as much as we have an' not tellin' us, have you?"

"Don't worry about us, Ranma," Rei informs him tartly. "We're taking care of ourselves just fine. You're the one who's going to be fighting Saffron."

"Uh, good point."

In silence the group wends its way down the long rocky tunnel, the only lights being the torches given to them by the Guide as they entered the dank cave leading downwards to the first trap. That was five hours ago, and many, many traps destroyed. Ranma would dearly love to know how that damned Phoenix brat managed to get through all of these.

A rustling is all the warning they have of the next trap, an oversized tiger with wild sienna eyes. Before Ranma can move a blade goes right through it, reducing it to a piece of origami sliced down the middle. Everyone stares as Nodoka neatly sheathes that ancient katana with a sniff, nudging the bits of paper with a sandaled foot.

"Hmph. Such a shoddy example of paper-magic. Rei-san, is this the best they can come up with?"

The red-haired girl just shakes her head in negation. "The Guardian was unsealed a week ago because her punishment was served out. If we had to fight her before Saffron, the bird-king would never see us."

"Whassat?"

"Ever fought a chimera, Ranma?" This is Kalerian, one aqua-tinted eyebrow lifted sardonically. "You got claws, fangs, the scorpion tail, and several nasty magics to contend with. Ki has no effect."

"How do you _know_ these things?" Mousse asks them in frustration. "We've never heard of these things, and yet you speak as though it's common knowledge!"

Kohaku shrugs. "We're Yuki Ogawa's students. We've actually talked to mythical animals like the chimera, the unicorn, and the dragon, because Ogawa-sensei has healed them and taught us how to do the same. It's the reason why our teacher is famous throughout the world."

"Oh."

"You're going to--gyaaa!" Ryoga is engulfed in a cloud of pinkish smoke that makes everyone else cough and gasp. Rei rushes into the smoke, heedless of her burning eyes.

"'Nii-san!"

She nearly face-faults when she makes it through the smoke to find a very pretty naga wrapped around the fanged boy, cooing over his handsome aura of strong, fire-touched fox. "Get...me...out...of ...here," Ryoga grits, attempting to squirm free of the dismayed naga.

Upon spotting the exasperated Rei, the naga-woman blushes and releases her handsome prize, sliding over the stone to bow to the slender girl, hissing something in a sibilant language. Rei replies in the same tongue and the naga slithers off, disappearing into the darkness just as the smoke clears. Rubbing sore ribs, Ryoga walks over to Rei and gives her the look all brothers give their sisters when they're keeping a secret.

"Reii-chaaan..."

"No, no, and no. Enough explanations for one day, nii-san. I mean it. Now, that was the last trap, and you managed to live through it. Count yourself lucky, and let's go." Everyone but her soul-sibs shoot odd glances at the Kenobishi heir, startled at how firm her tone is. She nearly pushes Ryoga towards the shadowed stone entrance to that massive cavern we've seen once before.

An elaborate twisting of her hand extinguishes the torches with everyone prepared for the pitch darkness without the dancing flames. With all the abilities they possess, the Nerima Wrecking Crew creeps forward in the darkness from nightmares towards the watery lights and voices just up ahead.

"I do not understand, Kiima-chan! Why is the door not opening??"

"I am not sure, my emperor. The map does not give instructions on how to open the door, only how to get to it." Peering around the protruding stones on either side of the gaping entrance, the 'Crew sights their quarry.

Arranged around the huge wall marked with the violet compass are two dozen armed Phoenix guards, with Saffron, Kiima, and Shampoo right next to the painted image, map being turned this way and that as they try to puzzle the riddle.

_-Ready for this, Kasai?-_ Rei glances over at Kalerian, and one corner of her mouth tilts upward.

_-As ready as I'll ever be. Remember--we have to make it look like an accident. May the Higher Ups keep us all. We'll need it.-_

And they do, because Ranma's Chaotic nature takes effect. What was supposed to happen was Rei slipping in and roasting the map, thereby preventing a whole damn mess of problems. Instead, our favorite pig-tailed martial artist slips in with the Umisenken technique and comes back two seconds later with the map rolled in his hands. A rapid heartbeat after that Saffron notices that the parchment he had been holding is now a roll of toilet paper.

In unison, the Quartet smacks their foreheads. There goes three days of weaving in a breath! The child emperor snaps out commands and his soldiers spread out, weapons at the ready. Figuring the game a lost cause, both Ryoga and Ranma step out of hiding and into the torchlight, eyes alight at the thought of such simple battle after the problems of the labyrinth. That's before Shampoo leaps into their path with her bonbori at the ready.

"Mizu, if you'd do the honors?" Rei sighs, gesturing. Kalerian flashes her a quick smile as he darts out, hands gleaming with turquoise light. Before Shampoo can react those hands are tracing patterns on the air around her, directly onto the battle-ki surging around her. While he's doing that, the battle around him is begun as guard fights teen or another adult. Nabiki is staying well clear of this, Tofu hanging back to protect her. Kasumi is doing quite well, having brained at least two men into unconsciousness and is working on the third.

Rei is actually having to work hard to avoid the strikes of the man she's fighting--he's got a glaive, a staff capped by a three-foot blade and bound in iron. Her weapons are ki-based, and her reserves are too low to use them. The jewel made of her excess power has been left at home because she will not need it today. She's quickly back-stepping to avoid slashes to her head and torso when her foot encounters, of all things, a loose stone. "Shit!!" Wham. Her foot slides out from under her, twisting in the process and sending her tumbling back right into Ranma.

They fall together hard, the map flying from Ranma's waistband into the ready hand of Saffron, the Phoenix ruler snatching it out of the air with a glad cry. Kalerian mumbles a curse as he finishes with the inscriptions on Shampoo's aura and leaps back. A thin coating of gold taint shatters off of the violet-haired girl's aura, with wide eyes taking in the scene.

"Aiyah. What am I doing here?"

Kalerian pulls her from the path of a stray blow and towards Tofu. "Fight now, questions later. Keep an eye on Nabiki and Tofu. The doc's a bit rusty." And he bounds off to the rescue of the tangled Ranma and Rei attempting to fight off two of the remaining guards. Two quick sucker-punches to their sleep pressure points downs them both and the Water fighter helps his friends to their feet.

"Shimatta," Rei hisses to Kalerian, "my ankle's twisted."

"Not good," he whispers back, supporting her weight on his shoulder. "That wasn't supposed to happen!" Their heads twist around as a startled cry echoes through the huge cavern. Taro had thrown his guard a little too enthusiastically, causing the man to fly into Kiima who in turn stumbles back into Saffron. His grip on the map loosens with shock and indignation that someone would actually have the nerve to bump him, and it smacks into the stone of the wall. Right on the violet compass.

"No!" four voices shout in unison over a growing rumble. Kiima scoops her emperor up and takes several steps backwards as the huge wall sinks into the floor and lights spring into existence, lighting the room beyond in merciless brilliance. Well, room would be an understatement. The space beyond is at least three times bigger than the cavern all are currently in, with bare walls of rough stone gleaming with damp. In the center is a large, carved bowl in the floor, big enough for several grown men to practically swim in it, set beneath the mouth of a dragon. A closer look reveals it to be a giant faucet, a stone phoenix curled around it. There's no spigot or any other method to make the water flow, only a slot set into the forehead of the dragon.

"The Source!" Saffron shouts in exultation, squirming out of Kiima's arms and running for the dragon with the kinjakan clutched in his pudgy hands. Several of the martial artists move to stop him but Kiima steps in their way, throwing more of that smoke-producing powder into the air and shouting.

Ranma and Akane cover their mouths and noses, yelling for the others to do the same as the tear-gas smoke explodes into existence, the sound of many footsteps making the floor shake. Through the noxious clouds troops come running and the battle is once again joined.

Our Chaos card slips through the smoke-screen into the clear air beyond, to find the boy standing on top of the dragon, plunging the blade of his staff into the slot and twisting hard. From the dragon's mouth comes a torrent of steaming water, splashing into the bowl below and filling it until it hits a drain off that sends the extra water sluicing towards the far wall. A Mouko Takabisha rockets towards the water just as Saffron jumps, sending an explosion of steam into the air.

Out of the rolling mist steps a much taller form than the one that disappeared into it. Saffron, ruler of the Phoenix tribe, flexes his new arm with an exulting smile. "Ah, it's good to be back."

----

"Damn it!" Rei snarls, watching as all of her work becomes hopelessly snarled before her eyes. She should have known better--this is too big an occurrence for Chaos to not interfere directly. "Kalerian, I can't see through all this! Where's Akane??"

"Climbing that dragon. Things might work our way after all."

"Don't hold your breath. Now come on! We have to play our parts!" Rei streaks off at a limping run, intercepting two guards before they can attack a shocked Ranma and drawing them away. Saffron gives himself one more brief glance-over before turning his attention to the black-haired boy before him.

"And now, stupid little mortal, you have the privilege of fighting a god!" With a roar that shakes the very ceiling, Saffron launches himself at Ranma. Cologne finally breaks through the mist and steam, her eyes widening at the sight of Ranma taking a diamond-hard fist to the jaw at full speed.

Her eyes dart to their enemy and feels a spark of hope flare. "Son-in-Law! Don't give up! Sa Fu Lon is not yet at full strength! We have a chance!"

"What are you talking about, old hag?" snarls the bird-king, momentarily distracted. Ranma takes the opportunity to brain him over the head with the gekkaja and hightails it for the fountain, intent on destroying it. Or at least knocking that damned fire-staff from its place and ceasing the water-flow.

Akane beats him to it. With the desperate hope that if she steals the kenjakan away some of Saffron's power would disappear as well she grabs the staff and yanks it from its place. The water gurgles to a stop. Ranma moves faster when she screams, a rush of steam and burning air blasting upwards. The Quartet curse over their link with fervor--this is all moving much faster than it's supposed to! When the ex-cursed boy reaches the top he finds the staff...and a small doll with Akane's face.

A sharp gesture and the staff flies to Saffron's hand, the ruler sneering at the stunned Ranma as he rises into the air. "Foolish girl! Only those attuned to fire can hold this staff! All others are drained of moisture and reduced to fragile little dolls! Oh, she's still quite alive," he adds scornfully when Ranma turns enraged eyes to him, "but how long she remains so is not long at all! You have until her eyes close to bathe her in the cold waters before she dies, mortal, _but I have no intention of you reaching that goal!!_" A forward thrust of his palm and a ki-blast the size of Ranma's entire body shoots towards the frightened boy as Saffron charges again.

An adroit dodge to the side sends the blast whizzing past his head into the floor beyond. Ranma scrambles to a depression in the wall in front of the fountain, placing the Akane doll safely within--her eyes are quarter-lidded already--and runs for the gekkaja, lying forgotten on the ground. A guard moves to snatch it up first, only to have a fist slam onto his unprotected skull and a slender hand grab the staff in mid-fall. "Ranma, catch!" Rei shouts, and flings the staff like a javelin.

A flip-twist and he grabs it, twisting around in mid-jump and bringing the staff up to block the strike from Saffron that would have taken his head. The two of them are blasted apart from the collision of incompatible temperatures, both of them slamming into opposite walls.

"I will. Not. Lose!" Saffron shouts, freeing himself from the embrace of stone and hurtling towards his opponent. Soul of Ice, Soul of Ice! Ranma chants to himself as he jumps free just as the kinjakan stabs into the rock where his heart had been. Don't think of the doll. Don't think of the water gurgling under his feet. Don't think of the consequences of failure. There can be no failure! He MUST win!!

There are no guards left alive and/or conscious, and the Quartet must now restrain the others from joining the fray. When protests rise, a cold glare from Rei silences them. "This is Ranma's fight. Only he can win, and only if we do not interfere." A yelp as more acrid smoke suddenly pours over them.

"Tsk, tsk," mocks Kiima. "Did you forget about little me?" Shen Ron the tiger steps forward aggressively, claws bared.

"Oh, no. I was waiting for a crack at you!"

Kiima tsks again and rises into the air. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait, kitty-cat. The elite want to have some fun with you, first. Oh, boys!" Over a dozen hard-bitten fighters race into the enormous cavern, and once again the Nerima Wrecking Crew and Company is engaged in hard fighting. These are no wimpy guards easily disposed of. These are men they must work to defeat as the seconds tick by.

Ranma has not been faring well. Even a Saffron at half of his full power is a near-impossible foe, for he has fully unlocked that half, instead of the energy remaining just beyond his reach as it was before. As a rough guess Ranma would be willing to bet that this bastard could destroy a good-sized city without a thought right now. He really doesn't want to know what would happen if Saffron gets another dunking in heated magical water. He's getting battered around like a rag-doll...His eyes involuntarily dart to where Akane has been placed and his teeth clench. Half-closed already! Damn!

Everyone below his current outcropping--the walls are freaking coated with juts and places for him to catapult from--is engaged in fighting, and he has the feeling the only thing saving him from joining Akane in doll-hood is the staff he holds, else he'd chuck it down and have someone else dunk Akane. No time! No time! He leaps away again as Saffron charges, then changes his mind and launches himself at the bird-king, scoring a deep slash on a robed arm while Saffron adjusts to the new tactic.

"You'll pay for that, pathetic mortal!" Ranma blinks as his desperate reach for more strength suddenly plunges him into a seemingly bottomless source of glacier-cold energy. What the hell? The gekkaja pulses in his hands and understanding dawns. He's tapped into the staff's energy, eh? This is going to even things up.

From below, Rei watches from the corner of her eye while battling off her own opponent, growling at the injustice--and possibly Meddling--that keeps giving her pole-arms to contend with. Soon now, soon.

Saffron grows more enraged as Ranma fights back, drawing on the icy ki he's discovered to produce giant-sized Hiryu-Shoten-Has that rip the far walls apart and slam the unhappy emperor into them time and time again. Mouko Takabishas change to nearly solid balls of ice that shatter against Saffron's heat aura and slice hair-thin holes into his skin through his robes.

And then Chaos steps in.

Saffron howls in rage and sends the largest ki-blast yet at Ranma--the blast is swatted aside like many before it--dread freezes Ranma's spine and his head jerks back to the blast. Watches Rei move to intercept it but fall when her injured ankle gives way beneath her--watches anguish rise in those emerald eyes--sees Akane's nook disintegrate.

His nerveless hand drops the gekkaja and it falls straight down to click in place in the dragon's slot an instant before residual energy from the blast snaps the scaled head off and tilts it upwards. Cold water, numbingly cold water, erupts from the mouth and fountains upwards, soaking everything.

Ranma watches from his perch forty feet above the ground as Rei scrambles desperately over the broken rocks to where Akane lies, body battered and bloody, naked among the debris. She seizes a fallen feather of Saffron's and holds it to Akane's mouth and nose, shielding the other girl's head from the downpour. All around them has fallen silent, everyone watching, waiting. The only movement of the feather is from Rei's shaking hand. Fingers move to the pale neck, the wrist, searching.

A soundless plea rises in Ranma's throat, a plea that is crushed when Rei tilts her face upwards to him, eyes shining with the tears that are already mixing with the spring-water, and shakes her head a little to the left, a little to the right. Nothing.

Saffron hovers several feet away from Ranma, waiting for his opponent to remember their battle so that he can kill the human boy as an exercise of his returned strength. So what if one mortal girl has already lost her life because of it? Why should he care? Saffron's patience is rewarded.

The mountain explodes.

------------------------------------------------------------


	27. Things Gone Wrong Must Be Put Right

Chapter 27: Things Gone Wrong Must Be Put Right

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun is a small bloody disk touching the horizon when movement is seen on a place of devastation. From one of several piles of rubble a rock tumbles to the ground, propelled by a hard shove from a scraped hand. That hand is quickly followed by an arm, then the rest of a body, revealing a dirty, battered Shampoo as she climbs through the hole she's made. Reaching back down, she helps first Mousse, then Kasumi, out from their rocky prison. Cologne pogos out next, followed by no less than a dozen Phoenix guards.

The moment the last of them emerges the rock pile shifts and settles, flattening out now that it no longer has people holding it up. Not far away, another pile shifts and allows the group consisting of Ukyo, Taro, Soun, Nabiki, Tofu and more guards to emerge relatively unscathed. A third pile, and out comes Rei, Masaya, Kohaku, Kalerian, and Ryoga, all coughing to clear their lungs of rock-dust. In Masaya's arms is Akane's body, wrapped in a cloak produced from Kohaku's pocket-space.

The last pile nearly explodes apart to reveal a sore Herb and his two minions, Lime and Mint, and Shen Ron supporting Li Shon. Behind them come Genma and Nodoka, the condition of their clothes telling everyone that the ex-panda had protected his wife with his own body. A random thought pops up in Kalerian's head and he restrains the urge to giggle in hysteria. A gallant Genma!

Kohaku, on the other hand, is thankful that they're alive. It had taken the rest of the Quartet's hoarded energy to shield everyone as much as they had, and the Air fighter had felt Rei flinging a thread of power out to her jewel to tap it. Even that had been barely enough to prevent any more deaths. For a brief moment the silver-haired girl is thankful that like calls to like even over a distance of thousands of miles.

Rei scrambles once again over rubble towards an enormous crater in the blasted ground, the cavern around them long gone thanks to the strength of Ranma's final assault. The entire mountain has been shattered into a rocky plain that stretches for miles around them, nothing but ruin for almost as far as dust-filled eyes can see. A slip on her injured ankle and she tumbles headlong, sliding to a halt just a few feet from the bottom. "Ow..." Shaking off her pain, she limps over to the crater's pitiful inhabitant.

Ranma lies there like one dead, bruised and scraped from the power of his own unleashing, clothes almost entirely gone. From the bulges under his skin Rei can see that he'd broken an arm and both bones of his lower left leg in the fall. The same test she'd performed on Akane is done on Ranma now, and to her relief the feather she'd somehow kept a grip on quivers from the shallow breaths he takes; his pulse is weak but steady under her questing fingertips. Looking upwards she finds Ryoga, Taro, and Herb standing on the crater's rim. The naked relief that must be on her face reassures them as she coughs again to clear her throat of the dust and rasps, "Help me with him."

Herb is the one who flies down and lifts the unconscious martial artist with all the care he would use on an egg-shell. The Dragon of the Musk clan carries him up to the waiting and gentle arms of the others before returning for Rei, now quite unable to walk on her ankle or the knee she'd twisted in her second spill. "Can you get yourselves home?" he queries gently on the flight up, Rei wrapping her arms around his neck. She hates flying!

"It might take us a few more hours to gather enough energy," Rei admits unhappily, relieved when they land. Taro sends her an uncertain look, helping Ryoga carry Ranma towards Dr. Tofu, and she smiles at him. As long as he doesn't start flying again, she's fine with Herb carrying her. Movement that doesn't involve their group makes her crane her head to see, and she taps on Herb's arm to get him to turn around.

Several yards away a thrashed Kiima has unburied a golden egg three times the size of an ostrich egg from a smaller pile of rocks and shards of the phoenix statue from the huge faucet, and turns to face them with troubled eyes.

"I am sorry for your loss," she says in a voice husky from dehydration. "I understand your pain, even if my emperor did not. I shall see that he is raised better, this time." And in a thunder of wingbeats, she and the gaggle of soldiers rise into the air, flying off in the direction of Phoenix Mountain.

"What does she mean, 'this time'?" Ryoga demands anxiously. Kalerian is the one who answers.

"He's a phoenix, remember? It's impossible for him to really die. Once all of his energy is expended, like it was protecting himself from Ranma's kamikaze attack, he reverts into an egg to be born again." At the Crew's stricken looks he hastens to add, "But don't worry! By the time Sa Fu Lon is prepared to repeat his transformation, at least three hundred years will have passed by." A collective sigh of relief from the others as they pick their way back towards the Guide's Hut.

The Quartet had feared that they'd have to wait longer to return to Nerima and the relief of hot baths and things to take away physical pain, but Order has decided to step in. Waiting for them there are Kurama and Hiei, ready to key portals open for their trip home. Heedless of her injuries, Rei flings herself into Kurama's arms and weeps for all that should not be.

----

Two weeks pass, and the Nerima Wrecking Crew slowly heals. It has taken this long for Ranma to be put back together enough for him to move around on his own, even with the help of the recovering Quartet, Tofu, and Yuki Ogawa. Akane's funeral has been held and her body rests in the Tendo crypt in the city cemetery, with wordless Rei and Ranma standing near the back. Had anyone been paying very close attention, they would have seen something otherworldly shining in Rei's eyes, colors that don't even have a name yet swirling beneath the dulled emerald. Kalerian, Kohaku, and Masaya returned with Ogawa-sensei to continue with their training, their work done for now.

Hiei has been watching over Rei ever since she and the rest had returned from China. After the funeral of Akane Tendo a week and a half ago, his friend's cousin has retreated to the high roof of the Kenobishi Dojo, eating nothing, drinking nothing, doing nothing but sitting in a curled ball of self-reproach. In all his long existence, he has never known anyone who has sunk so deep into a depressive trance for so long. Not even himself.

The fire apparition is hidden in a tree not far from the dojo, and he doubts Rei would sense him even if he unleashed the Dragon of Darkness Flame, occupied as her surface thoughts are with a maelstrom of grief, self-hatred, pain, and recrimination. The fact that he can read even that much warns him not to delve deeper, despite the fact that her shields are nonexistent. Kurama is worried, and for once in his life, Hiei is truly, deeply concerned for someone besides himself, his sister, and his best friend. Not that he'd be willing to admit it, mind you--he does have a reputation to keep.

Classes have been cancelled for now--no one can concentrate with her up there radiating such dark emotions, so the yard is empty when a mocking voice singsongs from thin air a familiar melody. "Why is Fate crying, what did she do? Thinks she killed a dear friend, the utter fool." The singer's voice makes the air throb painfully and Hiei's nonexistent hackles rise while the song makes his skin crawl. Rei stirs for the first time in many days, raising a tear-streaked face full of hatred and a weary anger.

"Go away, Chaos."

"She got too confident," the voice continues over her quiet demand, "so I had to--" A ginger-haired boy pops into existence, floating on thin air and brandishing a pair of silver scissors, "--do a little tweaking!"

With a roar that rattles her home's windows Rei goes from huddled ball to a fox of fire, leaping after the giggling, fleeing raven-haired boy. Wait, _raven_ hair? "YOU!!" Rei howls, shifting down into her demonic form and brandishing a pair of flaming katanas. "I'm going to kill you this time, Chaos!!" Hiei follows after the pair as they leap rooftops, curious to know what the boy had done, exactly, to so piss off his friend. "I'm going to dice you to pieces! _You're_ the one who tangled my Threads! How _dare_ you??"

Apparently growing tired of the chase, the boy stops and Rei slams into an invisible wall five feet from him, bouncing back and sprawling in the air above the flat roof they now stand on. Hiei takes cover in one of the nearby trees and uses his Jagan to watch it all. "Now, now," the boy tsks, wagging an admonishing finger. "Remember what happened the last time you actually touched me?"

"Chaos touch be damned!" the red-head snarls from her sprawl.

"I'd hate to get in trouble with the Higher Ups because an extra arm or something was interfering with your work."

Rei staggers to her feet in the air, the katanas gone. Empty, hollow eyes gaze at the boy whose coloration keeps shifting in random patterns as understanding floods through her. All those things that had baffled her over the past three and a half months come together, and her eyes turn accusing. "You _were_ the one who ruined all those threads," she says in a near whisper that Hiei strains to catch. Thank you, Jagan eye! "You were the one that switched Akane's Thread with my own. You caused the deaths of all those people with those Makai insects. All of it. Your doing."

"As you silly mortals say, 'duh'." Chaos shifts into a young man in his early twenties, sitting comfortably on nothing. Literally. Rei attempts to say something, mind whirling, and finally manages one word.

"Why??"

"Oh, come now, little Fate. You of all people should know that I will not allow you to interfere with my chosen Avatar. For the almost the past four months I have watched you undo all of my work here, allowing my brother to sweep through like he owns the damn place, and all thanks to you! I decided that that ever-so-pivotal battle would be a perfect place to remind you that you do not rule me yet."

"_You_ ruin your Cards for normal life, whatever the hell that is."

"Admitted, most do get so used to me that they are unhappy when I eventually leave. But that isn't my fault, is it? And you _were_ messing in my bailiwick." A glare from Rei is all the answer he gets. "Promise you're not going to try and kill me? You can't anyway, you know." A reluctant nod and Rei is set gently on her feet.

One of most wicked, positively evil smiles Hiei's ever seen blooms on the girl's face as she straightens. "I demand a boon from thee, Chaos, king of confusion, Master Meddler."

"And what would that be?" The godling's face is amused, Hiei notes. He shouldn't be. That smile means Rei has just closed a trap, and a doozy at that.

"I want a written agreement signed in your blood that you will never again meddle in my bailiwick, nor with any Fates that follow after me. And," that smile takes on a shading of pleasure, "you will not interfere with the resurrection of Akane Tendo."

"And if I refuse?" Blunt, cold.

"I show this to the Higher Ups and let them decide a much worse punishment than a simple Oath, Chaos." Rei holds up a small voice recorder. Hitting the play button, Chaos listens to Rei's accusation and his own confession played back in crystal clear definition. The godling pales.

"You wouldn't!"

"Another human phrase, Chaos: watch me." He's trapped. And he knows it. "You messed with _my_ realm, Chaos. There is a price for every action; this is yours."

"Fine!" he snarls, a piece of parchment already covered in elegant script appearing in the air before him along with a small but wickedly sharp knife. With a savage gesture the man slices the pad of his left thumb and swipes the bloody digit across the bottom of the page. The knife disappears and the man licks away the extra blood, wound already sealed. As the parchment floats to Rei the hidden fire apparition can see that most of the blood on it has been absorbed, leaving a signature so over-flourished that he can barely read the name 'Chaos'. "Happy now?"

Rei carefully scans the page, searching for loop-holes before answering. "Yes. And if it makes you feel any better, Order has already signed a similar contract." And she tucks the page into the pocket-space of her gi's long sleeve.

"Hmph." But the man stays, curiosity stealing over his features. "Mind telling me how you plan on doing this, clever vixen? Raising the dead is beyond any of your quartet's bailiwick."

"Oh," Rei replies lightly, "I'm sure Koenma wouldn't mind lending me the Forlorn Hope." Hiei's crimson eyes widen and he attempts to mind-call Kurama to tell him Rei's about to do something incredibly stupid, only to smack into a shining barrier not of his own making that enshrouds his mind.

_"Ah, ah,"_ he hears in his head, _"no tattling. This is between her and I."_ On the rooftop, Chaos finally smiles again and bows to Rei. "You're really willing to go that far?" he asks aloud to Rei, and sighs at her solemn nod. "Then not all of the Higher Powers can stop you, I fear." Rei smiles, but there is no triumph in that smile, and none in Chaos' either. "You've out-played me quite neatly, little Fate. I wish you luck." And he vanishes.

Hiei begins to think he might be safe when Rei turns emerald eyes towards him, a glittering purple-black length of something in her hands. A feeling of déjà vu sweeps over him as her fingers run over it, and he has one second to think 'shit' before darkness overtakes him.

----

In the far corner of a darkened room at the Tendo Dojo a bandaged pig-tailed boy huddles, the scene replaying itself over and over in his mind. A gentle knock before the door slides open enough for cautious Nabiki to poke her head in. "Ranma?" Her voice is gentle, soothing, so as not to startle the tightly-wound boy. "You've got a letter."

----

_'Meet me at Akane's crypt by sundown. There are some things I need to tell you. Come alone.'_ Ranma rereads the letter as he walks and growls to himself. Whoever has the gall to send him a challenge letter now is going to get a piece of his god-damned mind when he gets to a place he never wanted to go to again.

Walking in through the open stone doors, he stops and stares. Where there had been dusty coffins and spiderwebs, now there is gleaming stone and wood shining in the light of hundreds of candles. Someone is standing in front of Akane's coffin, a flute raised to their lips that gleams in the light of the stained glass window before them. Fragrant red roses are piled on the wooden surface, filling the air with their sweet scent.

Entwining with the scent is the flute's melody, a poignant, sorrowful song that lances Ranma's own pain as he listens, letting some of it drain away to leave clean grief behind instead of the choking despair that has cloaked him for two weeks.

The last sunbeams fade away as the sun sets, leaving the west-facing window and the figure in shadow except for the candle-light, the melody trailing off at the same time. Ranma takes a step forward, all the anger at himself finding a new target in this inconsiderate challenger. "Look, I don't know who--"

"Actually, Ranma, you do." The tirade stops before it even gets started, the pig-tailed boy staring as the person turns around to reveal emerald eyes that--for just a moment--reflect fox amber in the candle-light. The female standing there is not who he had expected--in fact, he'd expected anyone but her.

"Rei??" His brain reboots and all of a sudden the outfit she's wearing actually registers. The base design is simple, a bodice and flowing skirt of green velvet the same shade as her eyes, a hint of satin peeking out here and there from cunning little cutouts that makes the whole pattern into leaves. The long sleeves are slit at the curve of shoulder, bicep, and forearm, gold roses holding the fabric shut at elbow and wrist. The modest neck of the bodice is trimmed with gold threads in the pattern of a stylized spider's web, repeated at wrist and the bottom of the skirt. Tiny gold roses glitter in her earlobes, a clip of them holds the hair out of her face while allowing it to pour down her back in a scarlet curtain. "Um...wow."

"Call it a uniform and leave it at that," Rei sighs, the flute vanishing into thin air. "I'm glad you came. I have a favor to ask of you."

"What's that?"

"I need three days of your silence, Ranma. Three days, that's all, and on the twilight of the third day, you will have Akane back. I swear it on everything that I am." Ranma's mind feels like it's wrapped in cotton thicker than the stuff wrapping thirty-percent of his body.

"The dead can't come back to life, Rei," he whispers brokenly, staring down at the floor as he wills the tears away. "Don't joke about this."

"I'm not." The utter seriousness, the factual tone in which she states those two little words, jerks his head up and he stares. A thin cord gleaming bright electric blue floats in the air above her palm, broken by a small strip of white. "This is the Thread of a boy named Yusuke Urameshi--you've met him before, remember?" She waits for his nod before continuing. "Yusuke's been dead before as well, _that's_ something I doubt you knew. In a selfless act totally unlike his normal character, he saved a child from a speeding car and lost his life for it. You might have heard about this a few months back in the news. What wasn't in the news is that approximately three weeks after he died, he managed to come back to life. The white part is his time spent as a ghost."

The Thread disappears. "Yusuke is and was a punk, Ranma. He smokes, his gambles, he used to shop-lift and he drinks. His favorite past-time is beating Kuwabara to a bloody pulp. He's also the second Chaos card and he fights demons capable of tearing this world apart on a regular basis." Another Thread appears, this one shining gold.

"This is a man named Goku, the first Chaos card and a ki-master. He's been dead several times, as has a number of his friends." So Ranma can see--the length is littered with varying sizes of white bands. The Thread disappears and Rei lowers her hand. "Bringing one good-hearted girl back from the land of the dead isn't such an impossible task as you think, Ranma. All I'm asking is for three days."

"Who _are_ you, Rei?" Ranma asks as a feeling of the room filling with ancient energy grows, pulsing against him but not suffocating like Saffron's power did. "_What_ are you?"

A small smile, like he'd just given her the straight-line to a joke. A Tarot card appears in the air in front of him, one he's seen before: a woman with crimson hair sitting at a loom, being watched by a spider. "I am the Weaver, Ranma. In my care are the Threads of life."

"Fate," Ranma whispers in awe as that flooded feeling dissipates.

"Exactly." With a heavy sigh, the last of that ancient power vanishes from Ranma's senses, leaving the room feeling hollow as Rei dwindles back to a teenaged girl dressed like some mythic goddess. "Now you know why all of those childish fortunes were correct. Fate cannot be wrong about a person's destiny."

"Then what about Akane?"

"I didn't say Fate was _perfect_, Ranma. I left my workroom unsealed just once, and returned to find it in chaos." Her mouth twists as if in some ironic joke. "Fifty people died as a result of that: the manifestation of it the insanity around Sarayashiki High due to an invasion of controlled Makai insects, with demons known as Saint Beasts behind it all. And in case you have forgotten, little--if anything--goes as planned around Chaos Cards. I'm correcting an event that should not have happened."

Hope blooms in Ranma's heart at the same time a premonition ices its way down his spine. "So Akane wasn't supposed to die?"

A mirthless laugh. "No, Ranma, she wasn't. I was."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	28. Chapter 28: Trading Places

Chapter 28: Trading Places

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our favorite pig-tailed boy sits down on a convenient stone bench, hard. "No."

"I'm afraid so, Ranma, and as much as it would have made things easier the elimination of your girl side was not a viable option. A female had to die at that battle, or else there was going to be some serious repercussions down the line. Elder Ku Lon still has a few techniques she hasn't taught you yet and which you'll need in a decade or so, things that your father _certainly_ can't teach you. Would you rather I have sacrificed Shampoo? Ukyo? By all that's holy, Ranma, your _mother_ was there! Would you rather I have had her be the one??"

He fervently shakes his head in negation, and the frown Rei wears softens. "I couldn't bring you that kind of pain anyway, and it's my fault you're feeling such pain now. Fate isn't perfect, Ranma, because she's _human_. Something similar to this has happened once before, but no lives were lost. Remember what I said of the violence around Sarayashiki High School in the next prefecture over? The one where many people went temporarily insane?"

"Yeah, it was on the news. About fifty people were beaten to death."

"That's right. That wasn't supposed to happen, either. That was the result of Chaos sneaking into my work-space and breaking fifty Threads when he tried to steal my Weavings. When a Thread is broken, events change to accommodate some form of fatal occurrence for each. The insanity a few days ago revolving around a hospital in another city was a repeat. Both were from Chaos' meddling."

"He does that a lot, doesn't he?" Ranma asks, finally seeing someone who has grieved as hard as he has.

"Yes, he does, but he won't anymore. I got his confession that he screwed in my realm more than once, including replacing my Thread with Akane's, and blackmailed him into signing a contract. With godlings a contract is binding. You just have to watch for loop-holes."

"What about you?"

A wry smile, a curious tilt of her head. "What about me, Ranma?"

"What are you going to do now?"

"I told you. I'm going to bringing Akane back to life. She hasn't had her full allotted time to live, and she's crucial when the next major fight of your life occurs. And it will," she adds at his stricken look, the thought of another Saffron flashing through his mind, "because you're a martial artist, possibly the best martial artist in this world."

"And the others?"

"Yusuke, Goku, and his friends?" Nod. "They died because circumstances dictated it. Things that they needed to learn or do that couldn't be done while living. Yusuke learned about demons and such and fights them on a regular basis. Goku and the rest of the 'Z-fighters' needed training from people that were only available in Spirit World. They'll all live for a while yet."

"And you?" Rei smiles, finally understanding what he's getting at.

"I, Ranma, have had my fill of this existence. I am a very old soul indeed, and I jumped back into life a little sooner than I meant to. In this life, I have seen people die and be reborn. I have been cursed, blessed, thanked, hated. I'm tired. I couldn't do anything before because I didn't have a successor. I have one now.

"I want to go _home_, Ranma. Back to my quiet meadow and my peaceful cottage. When I die, my reward is the uninterrupted stay in the small dimension that is my work-space. Did you know that many dimensions are formed from a Fate's work-space?" Ranma shakes his head no. "The more time a Fate spends there, the larger it gets. After a couple centuries of peace and quiet, it's big enough to introduce people, and the cycle of choosing an active Fate and watching that world begins. But that's off topic," she sighs. "So. Are you going to try and stop me?"

When Ranma shakes his head, he is rewarded with one of the most brilliant smiles he's ever seen from Rei and a quiet thanks.

"Ranma, I have one other gift for you, if you want it," she says in a soft voice as he turns to go. He turns back, eyes questioning. "You can spend the next three days asleep in my work-space, where Time is malleable, with a magical alarm clock to wake you when it's time. It's the only thing I can think of that would get you through this any faster."

For a moment, he seriously considers. The thought is _incredibly_ tempting, but… "Nah. Someone's gotta stop anyone who does find out about this."

She smiles faintly, the brilliance wiped away by duty. "And they keep telling me that you have no brain in that hard skull of yours." Then she leads him out with a warning of, "Do not tell _anyone_ what I'm doing. I need your silence about this more than anything else. Understand?" He nods solemnly.

And then she is gently shooing him out of the crypt and closing the door. "Remember, my friend. Three days, at sunset. Remember, or they'll be mourning two girls instead of one." Ranma blinks as the door is shut almost on his nose and does a quick estimation of the weight of the heavy stone, marveling for a moment at the strength Rei must possess to have shut it effortlessly. Hope singing in his heart, Ranma walks away to begin his task.

Inside, Rei walks to the wood encasing the body of her friend and intones in a soft voice, "From gentle Sleep's sister shall ye wake, when Forlorn Hope mirror my life shall take." With an expansive gesture, the forest meadow that is Rei's workspace unfolds and she begins her final workings.

----

Three days later, early sunset...

Kurama shivers as a feeling of danger raises nonexistent hackles and he quickly runs his awareness through the energy signatures of his family and friends, shocked when he finds a familiar taint surrounding a certain cousin...Abruptly he stands and asks to be excused from the table, striding outside before his new step-father can finish saying 'yes'.

With all the protections that had been put around it after Yusuke had gotten it back, Kurama had seriously doubted anyone would have ever touched it again. The security, when Koenma had had him test it, had given even his Yoko side a run for the money, and in the end the new defenses had proved effective. So how...? And…why?

Outside, Hiei melts from the shadow of the front yard's tree and leaps down to the sidewalk, staring up at the nearly frantic red-haired fox. "Well?" he smirks, "What's the hurry? Don't like your mother's cooking?" Ignoring the joke that the most serious apparition he knows has just made, Kurama orients himself and takes off running.

"Rei has the Forlorn Hope, Hiei!"

Before following after, Hiei's face is puzzled, as a forgotten memory tries to emerge. "Why does she have it?" he wonders aloud as he blurs off.

--

Meanwhile, in Akane's crypt, Rei steps from her work-room, feeling rather proud of the amount of work she'd gotten done in the last three (relative) days she'd been working. In the other-space, she'd actually been working for over two weeks almost straight, taking advantage of the fact that she needed to neither sleep nor eat while there to get a year's worth of work done. New Threads had been woven and prepared for her successor, patterns had been laid for the next three years so that said successor would have a chance to get used to their new task before handling anything major. Although it would be a while before her successor would actually assume the work of Fate.

Now she stands in the crypt under the rising moon, lingering sun lying dust-thick on every reachable place, and takes one last moment to reconsider.

As she steps towards Akane's coffin, her clothes mist into a simple green gown. No embroidery, no jewelry. Just a sleeveless dress that hugs her body before flaring into a circle skirt in soft velvet, with matching ankle boots of leather. Her long hair flows loose down her back, glimmering copper in the candle-light. Her footfalls are silent as she walks, reaching the coffin and opening the lid.

Akane lies there, a soft golden glow burning from within, showing that Koenma had made good on his promise to keep Akane's body on the brink of life until the girl's soul could return. All the damage has been healed--Akane would return to a body as healthy as she hadn't left it. With a smile, Rei scoops up the roses that had fallen when the lid had been opened and piles them artfully around the 'sleeping' girl.

"Wouldn't want you to suffocate before Ranma comes, now would we?" she whispers in a conspiratorial tone, brushing an errant lock back into place. "Just do me a favor and we'll call it even; don't be so closed up around Ranma, okay? And let him explain first before you pound him." With a wistful smile she sets several envelopes before the coffin and goes to the center of the large room, dropping into a tailor's seat and pulling a round, cracked mirror in a simple frame from her sleeve's pocket space. Looking at it, she recalls the conversation she'd had when Koenma had lent it to her.

"_Are you certain this is the only way, Rei-sama?"_

"_Unfortunately, yes. The dragonballs won't work when it's Chaos' meddling, and the deadline to get Akane back is dwindling fast." She'd accepted the mirror from reluctant Koenma, and blinked when a thought occurred to her. "Koenma, I need one more favor."_

"_What's that?"_

"_Ranma is already on his guard, but another will be useful. He can't fight off Kurama, Hiei, and probably Taro all at once. Someone would get in a sucker punch. If anyone from Yusuke's group tries to interfere, I ask that you send Yusuke to prevent them. I know it isn't fair to him, though," she'd added miserably._

_Koenma had sighed, and nodded. "I won't tell him why, though. That might help. Don't worry. If the kid can handle the death of his teacher and one of the most solid people in his life, he can handle this. Good luck, and I'll see you soon."_

_"You will, at that."_

Letting her awareness pour through the Threads, a small, proud smile curves her lips. Ranma had given the performance of his life for the past three days, telling no one and somehow convincing everyone that it would be better to go to visit Akane the day after tonight, just like she'd known he would. At least it's possible to predict him, if not the events around him. But...Her smile turns resigned. Besides Ranma, she can feel at least three--no, four--familiar ki-signatures approaching fast.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Hiei goes where Kurama goes, and he and Taro always seem to know when I'm doing something dangerous. Good thing I've got Yusuke on my 'side'."

Setting the Forlorn Hope on the floor before her, she makes the same gesture as before and all the candles she'd brought once more alight, shining off the moon-silver threads set to ensnare anyone who walks through the door. These aren't the rainbow Threads used for recording lives, only for use such as Rei's now-useless water-proofing bracelet. Despite the candles' brilliance, the light of the full moon shines through the stained glass onto the magical item, awakening it.

----

The Spirit Detective is not having a good time. Obeying the obscure order of Koenma to keep Hiei and Kurama away from some cemetery until after twilight today is proving just as hard as he thought it would be. Restrained by not wanting to use his stronger weapons against them (such as his Spirit Gun) he is reduced to regular old street-brawling. _Which would be peachy if I wasn't fighting a couple of demons who know how to take people apart!!_ He suspects the only reason he ain't out yet is because neither of his friends want to hurt him either, and so are refraining from using weapons like the Rose Whip or Hiei's katana. But that's not going to save him long.

Two battle auras from somewhere behind him register, but he doesn't dare take his attention from the two currently in front of him for an instant. He's read too many fanfictions of people who get knocked out if they do and doesn't care to repeat the embarrassing cliché in real life.

Ranma isn't having it much easier. Taro has all of the physical strength of Ryoga and none of the Lost Boy's convenient hang-ups with which he usually stops him, and so keeps getting punched by someone with an arm like a pile-driver. Damn, when did Pantyhose-boy get so damned fast??

Taro knows something isn't right, and Rei's at the heart of it. His intuition tells him he's got until the sun is completely gone before it's too late. So he keeps fighting the person he's come to respect over the time they've been acquainted like one possessed, desperate to reach his beloved and stop her from doing...whatever.

A few blocks away, a depressed Ryoga wanders aimlessly, unaware of Rei's doings or the fights that are going to intersect in the next minute or so. Of all of them, he's the closest to the crypt and heading straight for it. Chaos cards and their lesser brethren at work, what a mess.

----

Within the crypt, the mirror glows a soft grass green color, reflecting the full moon through the stained glass. "Fate, what is your wish?" the Mirror intones in a male voice. In sight of the crypt now, Kurama and Taro break free of their respective battles and sprint for the doors in unison. Ryoga has already gotten there and has decided he will pay his respects to his beloved Akane one last time.

Ranma and Yusuke get there first and stomp his head into the pavement. They join him a moment later thanks to the distraction the Lost Boy had provided and sucker-punches from both Hiei and Taro. Rei ignores everything and lets her fingers lightly touch the simple frame. "You know my wish, Soul of the Mirror. Don't play games with me, I have no time."

Something that resembles a sigh before a moving picture of Akane's face appears in the mirror's depths. "The restoration of the life of Akane Tendo and the repair of the weaving you had planned. This is your wish?"

Gentler. "You know it is."

"Has your successor been chosen?"

"They have."

"And you know my price?"

"Yes, Soul of the Mirror. I know your price."

That same sigh-like sound. "Very well, then. I wish you good fortune in your next life."

----

Ranma and Yusuke are just rising to their with Kurama and Taro nearly ripping the heavy stone doors off their hinges, when a faint electric-blue light shines under the threshold and through the windows. The two boys wrench open the doors and rush inonly to be entangled in Rei's guarding web.

Hiei tries slashing through the threads but they hold firm, snapping back into place without a scratch from his katana. All of them stare as Rei half-turns towards the sound of their entrance, wrapped in the power of the Forlorn Hope with the light in her eyes already fading. A whisper of thought brushes against their minds--_'Sayonara.'_

Forever goodbye.

Soundlessly, the boys watching in horror, she slips sideways with a grace she shouldn't have and lies there, motionless. Ranma and Yusuke are stunnedthe pig-tailed martial artist had no idea _this_ is what his friend had meant to doand Ryoga, finally free from the embrace of cold concrete, is the first to make a sound: a heart-broken howl as he leaps over the tangle and gathers Rei into his arms.

The silver binding threads vanish, dropping Kurama and Taro to the floor with separate thuds. Taro manages to rise to his feet and stares blankly into thin air.

Kurama stops in mid-motion on his knees and crumbles, bent until his forehead touches the cold stone floor, his arms wrapped around himself, crimson hair spilling forward to form a curtain to hide his grief. Too late. He's too late. Hiei stands beside his friend, uncertain as to how to comfort the grieving fox-human that has been his companion for over a year. The fire apparition has been too long alone to know how to cope with such emotional pain…

But he wishes he knew how.

Taro stands there, doesn't speak, doesn't move. He could be a statue for all intents and purposes, except for the tears rolling down his face. Ranma is shocked. Is this what Rei had intended to do all along? Why? Why?? And then he remembers, and hope once again fights its way past sorrow to spread out in his chest.

With silent steps he walks to the open coffin and looks down into the face of a sleeping angel. His eyes devour the sight of her rosy cheeks and her chest rising and falling as though it is food for a starving man. A hesitant hand reaches out and brushes her cheek, heart thudding against his ribs. Warm, giving flesh had met his touch.

Yusuke moves, stamping forward and snatching up the Forlorn Hope, brandishing it towards the sky with furious tears running down his face. "This was your mission for me, toddler??" he screams. "To let her die?? I'm gonna pound you into the pavement when I get back!"

"There was nothin' you could've done," Ranma says softly. All noises except for Ryoga's broken sobs cease. Yusuke pauses in his description of the pain he's going to visit on Koenma. Kurama looks up sharply with his hair in his face, trying to keep himself from ripping everything apart. "Fate don't like her work to be messed with."

"Fate??" the fox-human question is as sharp as his gaze, but Ranma never turns.

"Yeah, Fate. Yanno, ruler of destiny? She was Fate. This is what she wanted. And if it hadn't been me'n Yusuke over there, then it would've been someone else that would've stopped you."

A snatch of a conversation they had had at school springs into his mind: Rei smiling at him in bright sunlight after a class. _"Fate doesn't try to control everyone's entire destiny, Ranma. She just sets the destination and lets people muddle their own ways through with a bit of help now and again. If she did otherwise, I doubt she'd have any time to herself!" _

Shaking his head at the obvious hint, Ranma bends down and brushes Akane's forehead in a gentle kiss, feeling her warm breath tickle his throat. "Wake up, sleepyhead. Time to go home."

The soft sigh that comes from the girl in the coffin makes everybody stare. It even breaks into Ryoga's mourning and silences his sobs, though tears are still flowing. The thick, blue-tinted black lashes flutter and part to reveal the vivid blue-gray orbs behind them, which quickly fill with confusion. Ranma gently pulls her from the coffin and sets her on her feet as she stares around her, wondering why she's a stone room full of candles and tears.

"Ranma? What's--" A squeak as he wraps her in a hug, burying his face on her shoulder. "Ranma, what's going on? Where am I?" She falls silent at a dampness soaking her shoulder, one hand hesitantly curling around his waist while the other comes to rest in his messy hair. "Ranma, why are you crying?" Faint mumblings along the line of 'you scared me to death, I'd thought I'd lost you forever' can be barely heard by the confused girl, spoken as they are into the fabric of her kimono. Kimono? Hadn't she been wearing shorts and a t-shirt?

"Rei just brought you back from the dead," Ryoga manages in a voice barely above a whisper, a tiny smile on his face between the tracks of tears from shattered eyes. "By trading her life for yours." Akane stares at the still form cradled in Ryoga's lap as memory supplies her with the 'video-clip' of her grabbing the kinjakan and the world abruptly turning large--and the ki-blast that turned everything dark. Ranma pulls back long enough to pick up the envelopes at their feet, then her attention turns to him and the fact that he scoops her off her feet without hesitation.

Taro takes advantage of the boy torn between rejoicing that Akane is alive and mourning the sister he'd so recently found, lifting Rei into his own arms and carrying her towards the door, past Yusuke getting scolded by Botan--who had popped out of nowhere and now has a firm grip on his ear. Kurama stops him, standing in the way with a steely glare totally unlike the even-tempered ex-thief. "Where are you taking her?"

"I'm taking her to her parents," is the soft reply. Face softening, Kurama reaches into his mane and produces a familiar scarlet rose, tucking it under the hand lying limp on her stomach. Hiei hands his friend the letters addressed to Taro and Rei's adoptive parents (he'd taken them from the oblivious Ranma), and the emerald-eyed male tucks those under the rose.

Bending down, Kurama whispers something into her ear, tears dropping onto her pale cheek. And then he silently walks into the night, head down, shoulders stiff. Hiei follows after his friend, but sends once last glance at the still form resting against the taller boy's muscular chest. A flash of sorrow breaks through his mask, and a single tear-gem pings to the ground. Soundlessly, the black shadow flits off into the darkness, carrying his letter and that of Kurama's. After another moment, Taro leaves, heading in the direction of the Kenobishi Dojo--but he picks up the cloudy indigo gem as he goes.

Ranma pauses long enough to collect a numb Ryoga before they, too, leave, with Akane held safely in his arms.

----

On another island, two men are cleaning up after having finished the day's work on their roof. One is much younger than the other and bears a striking resemblance despite the glasses perched on the end of his nose. Abruptly, the elder of the two looks up with distress furrowing his brow.

"What's up, Dad?" the younger asks, glancing up from picking bits of tar off his palm.

"Rei's gone. I can't feel her energy anywhere."

"What?? Why??"

The older man, dressed in an orange martial-arts jumpsuit, lifts into the air with his eyes trained on the horizon. So this is Goku, the ki-master! Placing the first two fingers of his left hand on his forehead, Goku mutters, "I don't know. But I bet I know someone who does." And he vanishes into thin air, leaving Gohan behind to finish cleaning up alone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	29. Chapter 29: Loose Threads Tied and a New...

**Dark1**: Hey, cool, new reviewer and a new author. Ganbatane! (good luck!)

**Gourry-Gabriev610**: And this will be the last chapter for this story. T.T But I still have another story in the works as you already know. n,.,n As for Goku, that was explained many chapters ago--Rei's done a lot of traveling and has met/befriended the Z fighters during said travels. She's even read Goku's fortune, remember? He's another Chaos Card. Rei's successor has been chosen, but I'm not telling who. It leaves an opening if I ever decide to make a sequel. Logical, ne?

**Jerry Unipeg**: That wasn't the ending, silly. This, sadly, is. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 29: Loose Threads Tied and a New Beginning

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...and that's it," Ranma finishes, looking around the living room table. It's now nearly midnight, and a majority of the Nerima Wrecking Crew is packed into the Tendo's living room. Akane is asleep against Ranma, in comfy pajamas instead of her funeral kimono, hair damp from a quick bath. Kuno is embedded in the ceiling--he'd popped out of nowhere shouting "Akane my love!" and was uppercut by pretty much every female there, including Kasumi. Kodachi is twitching on the floor--_she'd_ shown up with one of her potion-laced bouquets of black roses, cackling about her dear Ranma. Cologne had simply used her staff to swat the roses into her face and boom! down she went.

After Ranma had arrived with a very-much alive Akane in his arms and a silent Ryoga in tow, the story had spread around town like wildfire thanks to Nabiki (who'd only charged a pittance for the information to Kuno), and he'd spent the last couple of hours explaining and re-explaining for those who'd arrived late.

Kasumi, noting the late hour, begins to politely shoo all the visitors out--except Ryoga, who is in no shape to go anywhere by himself--telling them that they can come back later to talk to Akane. If they can get her away from Ranma, that is. The pig-tailed boy had barely let Akane out of his sight since they'd gotten home--he'd even have followed her into her bedroom if she hadn't threatened to whack him. So he'd sat like a lost puppy outside her room and the bathroom while she'd been in them, trailing after her with a goofy grin when she wasn't.

Sure, he's sad that Rei had sacrificed herself to that mirror-thing, but she'd had several good points and he knows beyond a doubt that while Rei might be sad at hurting her loved ones, she's happy in her 'work-place'. And he has Akane. Everything's better with Akane.

Finally the last few people trickle out the door and Kasumi returns with her usual serene smile. "Ranma, would you please put Akane to bed? She's had a long day--and so have you, so don't stay up to late."

"Yes, Kasumi," Ranma replies obediently, happy that he has an excuse for holding his fiancee. He picks her up without waking her and carries her upstairs while Kasumi spreads out the guest futon and gets Ryoga settled--he's still moving on auto-pilot, eyes blank. After making sure that he's got a bell tied around his wrist so that she'd hear him if he moved around, Kasumi goes to bed, taking a quick peek inside Akane's room despite a resolve not to.

She's glad she did. Akane is snuggled into her blankets, with Ranma a silent sentinel sitting beside her in her desk chair. When Kasumi is gone, Ranma reaches into his shirt and pulls out a slightly crumpled envelope with his name on it. Little does he know that several people are doing the same.

The 'screen' splits to show four images where only the faces and settings differ. One is Ranma. One is Taro, sitting on the grass behind the Kenobishi home. One is Ryoga, finally aware and sitting on the futon in the Tendo living room. The last is Kurama, sitting in front of a campfire in the Makai.

Reading as one, Rei's voice echoes in their minds as if she's really talking to them. _'I know you're reading this, and why. I'm sorry. I have a confession to make--I knew the burden of the Forlorn Hope can be shared. (Kurama/Yusuke, I know you knew that, too, and I hope you can forgive me for that.) But I did what I did for a reason, and now that I'm gone you can know. I was Fate, have been Fate for a few years now. This is how it had to be; Akane wasn't meant to die that day, and she still has a lot of time to live. I'm not going to stay dead, though, either. Who wants to place bets on when I'm coming back and how mad I can get a certain someone before I do? With impish serenity, Rei. PS--' _For each, this is different.

Taro finishes reading first and he heaves a deep sigh, staring upwards at the few stars visible in the city. His 'screen' vanishes, leaving that corner dark. _'--Aishiteru, koishii. See you soon.'_

Ranma finishes second. _'--Thank you, Ranma, for doing what I asked you to. It wasn't fair, and it wasn't nice. But thank you.'_ His screen goes blank and the remaining two shift, leaving Ryoga and Kurama.

Ryoga finishes next. _'--I love you, big brother. I promise, you'll be the first I visit when I come back. Try not to get lost while I'm gone.'_ A weak little chuckle and he shakes his head in brotherly exasperation, a last few tears sliding down his face as he curls up in his blankets--Kasumi got him to take off his shirt and shoes--and drops into slumber.

Kurama continues reading for a while after, the only sounds are those of the snapping logs in the fire. _'--It's going to take you a long time to forgive me, I'm sure. You wanted to know why I knew so much, how I knew so many things that I shouldn't. Now you know. I've tended millions of Threads, even yours, and their histories and lives remain in my mind even now. Some of them are beautiful, some of them are ugly. None of them are perfect. I know I've lied about a lot of things, Kurama, but there's one thing that was always the truth. You are dear to me, my cousin, my friend. And if Hiei is up there, tell him I said to keep an eye on you. His letter says that, as well, but I'm reinforcing that. It's an order. I want you safe and sound when I'm done pestering Koenma. Jya ne, Kurama-kun. See you soon.'_

With a shuddering sigh, Kurama feels most of that dangerous anger drop away, as he sets the letter down and buries his face in his hands. All around him are signs of that rage--rocks reduced to gravel, the ground torn up, trees scarred. He's here because that grief-fueled anger needed an outlet, and no place in Ningenkai could contain it. Here, at least, no one cares about wanton ruin.

From above him, watching as he was bid and as he would be doing anyway, Hiei gazes down with those bottomless garnet eyes. "What did she say, fox?" he questions gently, hoping that that would not provoke another outburst. Kurama in a rage is actually frightening.

"She told me to tell you to keep an eye on me."

"Hn. I'm already doing that."

"She also said, 'see you soon'."

"Good. I want to smack her when she gets back for blanking my memory so many times." An unwilling bark of laughter from the mourning fox below him. The fire apparition had told his friend about the newly rediscovered memories, and understands now what Rei had meant when she'd said the foggy spots would clear in three months--she'd meant when she died. He also understands why she did as she had done, because she knew he'd never keep this kind of thing secret from Kurama.

Kurama had actually shifted into Yoko twice during his rages, and Hiei has the feeling that Yoko is still dwelling just below the surface of Kurama's ragged control. But then, that's not necessarily bad. Yoko always did have a cool head.

"And yours, if I may ask?" Those half-clouded emerald eyes look up, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. Hiei feels a rush of relief. _She's not going to be gone forever. Thank the stars._

"Hn. Besides telling me to sit on you if you tried to hurt yourself--" another bark of laughter "--she told me not to be a 'copycat' and follow after her like I always seem to be doing. She told me that Death isn't always permanent, and that I'm welcome in her work-space--if I can find it."

"Sounds like a challenge," is the mild comment. Hiei snorts.

"It does, doesn't it? Baka vixen. She does this just to see how far she can push us, I tell you."

"She found my limit."

"Hn." A long silence. "So what now?"

Kurama sighs and starts kicking dirt over his fire, dousing it. "I suppose we go home and wait until we can shake her so hard her teeth rattle." Another snort of amusement as the two vanish into the moonlit forest.

----

"So we can't bring her back using the dragonballs?"

"No, I'm afraid not. Shen Long has already refused to do so, and I am not at liberty to reveal her motives for this. Her death was her choice, Goku, whether we like it or not. However, you know Rei as well as I do. Do you really think she's going to stay dead when there's so much trouble to be gotten into?"

An unwilling laugh from the Saiyan man. "No, I guess not, Dende. We'll just have to wait until she comes back."

----

_Six months later..._

"Meep!" squeaks the puffball sitting on the young woman's shoulder. It resembles a fox with itty-bitty wings, with a coat twice as long as it should be. On its forehead is a little stylized flame in white fur, around its neck is a copper-colored ribbon with a tag that reads 'Mei'. At the noise, a toddler rubber-stamping his way through a large stack of papers looks up and frowns.

"It's about time."

The young woman shrugs, making the furball squeak again and cling to her tank-top with tiny claws. "Spirit Beasts take time to hatch. I better get back soon--Hiei's waiting to smack me and Higher Ups only _know_ what I'm going to get from Kurama." Despite her words, the girl sounds happy about it. Around her neck shines an opaque indigo-blue gem strung on a silver wire to form an elegant choker. From time to time the Spirit Beast bats at it with a curious paw.

"Yes, yes, your paperwork's been filed, get going," grumps the toddler, looking back down at his work to hide a smile. The girl chuckles, brilliant emerald eyes shining with merriment.

"Right. See you later, Koenma!" And she exits the office, bumping into a bouncy, blue-haired girl in a pink kimono and racing her off somewhere. When the door clicks shut behind her, the toddler flops back in his over-sized office chair and lets out an explosive sigh of relief. "Thank the Higher Ups. She's gone!"

----

Kurama is tending to his garden in the fall sunshine, hair tied back to keep it out of his face, dirt smeared up to his elbows as he works. Two shadows fall across him, and he glances upwards in mild curiosity. And drops his trowel. Grinning at him fit to crack is Rei, a fox-like Spirit Beast perched on one shoulder and purring, looking the same as she did before she'd died. A familiar cloudy blue gem is around her neck, and a _very _familiar rose is tucked over her ear. Behind her stands an ecstatic Ryoga who just shrugs at him as Rei chirps, "I promised Anii-san I'd visit him first and he won't stop following me around. Miss me?"

Laughing, Kurama forgets the world around him as he leaps up and wraps Rei in a joyous hug, spinning her around several times before setting her down, taking a good look at her, and doing it again, still laughing. Mei has by this point retreated to Ryoga's shoulder and is scolding the fox-human male in rapid meeps. "Don't ever do that again!" he finally manages, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her gently. "You nearly made me lose my mind!"

"Gomenasai?" she cheeps, looking thoroughly ashamed of herself. She looks even more adorable with her rust-colored fox ears out and drooping. Relenting, Kurama just sighs and stands there hugging her for several long moments before...

"Hn. Is that that baka vixen I see in your arms, Kurama?" Rei squeaks and ducks behind her cousin, giggling, 'hide me!' as she vanishes her ears again.

"Yes, as a matter of fact it is."

"Good." Hiei flits down from his favorite tree and half-smiles, half-glares at the girl peering around Kurama's shoulder with an expression of mock-terror. "I've been waiting to smack you, baka. Now get over here and take your punishment like a youkai."

She sticks out her tongue. "Nyah, nyah! Make me, porcupine head!" And she darts off, giggling. Ryoga and Kurama just stand there laughing as Hiei chases after her, tackling her to the ground and starting a merciless tickle-attack on her ribs. "Ack! Help! Gerroff! Hahahahahah! No--hahaha--fair! Okay, okay-okay-okay! I give!"

"Good," Hiei smirks, and lightly bops her on the head. "Don't ever do something like that again."

"Deal! Just gerroff!" During her contortions the strap on her left shoulder slides to the side, revealing that her spider tattoo--something Kurama suspects is the mark of her Office--has turned from black to a deep crimson. Is she still Fate? He'd have to ask later.

"Aw, no fair!" All of them turn to find Yusuke walking up with the rest of the Reikai gang and the main members of the Nerima Wrecking Crew. "Ya started the party without us!" With a joyous squeal Rei squirms out from under Hiei and bolts for the fence, leaping it and landing in the outstretched arms of Taro, getting pulled in for one hell of a kiss.

Everyone cheers, Yusuke and Kuwabara starting a count to see how long it lasts. They make it to fifty before the two break apart for air. With another loud cheer, Yusuke pumps his fist into the air. "That's what I'm talkin' about! Let's get rocking!"

Anxiously, Kurama looks towards the house, worried that his mother--who thinks Rei's just been in a coma--might disapprove, only to find her standing in the doorway with his new step-father and an indulgent smile on her face. "Try not to leave too big a mess, children." With a rousing shout, the biggest party Kurama can remember--even as Yoko--gets underway.

Once more, the human-bodied fox turns to his mischievous cousin and asks, "How do you do it, Rei-chan?"

"Oh," she drawls, looking from the corner of her eye at the little Beast sitting happily on her shoulder and batting once again at Hiei's Tear, "let's just call this one an act of destiny and leave it at that, shall we?" Laughing, Kurama removes Mei and places her in Hiei's arms, then sweeps his cousin into the first steps of a kitsune-tribe dance, completely forgetting that he still has dirt on his arms.

**_Shimekiri_**.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you all for reading this story and--for those who have been reading that long--for putting up with my writer's block as well as my quirks and evil cliff-hanger moments. All of my characters and those which are already copy-righted (a majority of those who have made appearances) have gone through quite an adventure, and it still amazes me to think that all this started with a forum topic of 'write your entrance scene if you were a Ranma One-Half character.' I might revise the last couple of chapters when I get my computer back and once again have access to the original versions, and I'll let you know in a Spring's Fire author note if I do. Thank you again, and jya ne, minna-san.

Aishiteru: I love you

Koishii: beloved

Mei: (from several) destiny

Anii: older brother

Gomenasai: I'm sorry


End file.
